Hensou
by Kanemoshi
Summary: They say the best way to overcome your fears is to face them, but for Sasuke, a bet using shock therapy could end in heartbreak or finding the love of his life. AU YAOI! SasukeNaruto better summary inside!
1. You Cannot Change Fate

Authoress: okay…yes, I am back an' in force, for my loyal readers…sorry about my other stories (for those of you who read them), but I've been…busy…for a while…yep…guy business…but, that's over now, so I have…/glances around evilly/ FREE TIME! So, now then:

Story Summary:

If you keep running from your fears, will you ever overcome them? If you don't make mistakes, will you ever learn from them? If you keep hiding behind that mask, will anyone know who you truly are? If you hide from experiences and don't take any chances, will you ever live? If you don't look, will you ever find love? For Sasuke, these weren't questions that came up often, but when he is put into an awkward position from a bet, he begins learning to let up and show what's underneath that cold exterior of his. AU YAOI! Main pairing: Sasuke/Naruto, side pairings: Naruto/Gaara, Iruka/Kakashi, Zabuza/Haku, maybe Sasuke/Gaara...dunno...

Now that that's over with, I just have to say…THERE IS SOMETHING GOING ON BETWEEN IRUKA AND KAKASHI FOR ALL OF YOU WHO ARE IN DENIAL!

Iruka/blushes/

Kakashi/whips out a new Icha Icha Paradise/

Dislaimer: I don't own Naruto…it'd be nice if I did…because…well…there'd be some major XXX action in Iruka's classroom everyday of the week…just to explain why Kakashi's always late…and lazy-looking (he's really tired…Iruka's an animal!)

Authoress: now, on to the first chapter of my first Naruto fanfic!

Chapter One: You Cannot Change Fate

Sasuke's POV

_47 - 36 - 22_

"Umm…Uchiha-san?" I turned to look at the young girl who had removed my attention from he accursed lock. Shifting my gaze, I took a quick look at her: a nice body-not too thin, but not overly voluptuous-she was only slightly shorter than myself, giving me a lovely view of her abnormally large forehead, which she had tried, in vain, to cover up with bangs. She had green eyes, anyone else but myself would have considered them "a stunning shade", but I frowned at their green-like shade. I also noticed that she had pale, pink hair which she had grown out to the middle of her back. I turned enough so that I was facing her and couldn't help but sigh. _This makes seventeen…hundred…_

"Yes?" I asked, tying my hardest not to snap at her. She had broken my concentration on that damned locker that would never open on the first try, but I was sure that it wasn't simply because this was my first day having to deal with such contraptions-it had to be just my locker. (A/N: Sasuke doesn't believe in the word denial )

I haven't even been in this school for a full day and I have been attacked by women, and frighteningly enough, men, at least twenty times within the two minutes I had to reach my next class. These obviously stubborn people didn't understand that I didn't want to be in any type of relationship with them.

"Anou sa…" She stared down at her feet, a blush covering her cheeks.

"No," I replied coldly, finally reaching the end of my vast patience. She whimpered softly, her eyes beginning to fill with tears.

"Oi, Sakura-chan! Don't annoy Sasuke!"

Her saddened expression turned to one of anger within an instant-something that slightly unnerved me. _She has mental problems…_ She whirled around to scream at the speaker. "Who said you could call Uchiha-san 'Sasuke,' Ino-pig!"

"Nani!" The long-haired blonde reflected Sakura's expression and growled. "You're annoying Sasuke-kun! He doesn't like you…I mean, how could _anyone_ like such a flat che-" Ino never finished her speech. As soon as 'fla' came out of her mouth, Sakura had launched herself at the other girl.

I quickly moved out of the way as the whirling mass of estrogen slammed into my locker and, realizing they weren't going to remove themselves from that sole locker, I sighed and wandered off to my next class, the necessary books still nestled within my locker.

/\ /\

"How was your first day, Sasuke-kuuuun?" Itachi asked mockingly as I threw my backpack-filled with the useless books I had finally been able to retrieve from my locker-at the wall in frustration. "That good, ne?" he questioned, his smug expression only fueling my anger.

"Shut up," I retorted, glaring at my older brother with murderous intent. _If only looks could kill…_I though to myself, wishing the man's head would blow off, or that he would die in some other unexplainable way, but then I realized I would rather watch him suffer for hours on end. I slipped off my sandals, grumbling to myself, and stomped into our "house." The house was mine-I had bought it will my own money, which reminded me that I needed to find a job soon so I would be out of debt with my parents', but that bastard had somehow gotten a key and decided the night before that he would be my 'guardian' while I "remained a stubborn child"-my father's exact words. The man thought it as one of my more asinine ideas to move away from the family's estates just to go to a private school because my friends went there. Well, only two of my very few friends went there-the Hyuuga cousins Neji and Hinata. My other 'friends' weren't wealthy enough to pay for education there, but in their own right, Kankuro, Temari, and Gaara were "rollers."

The three siblings _did _have money, but they could never show how much they exactly had, since they had received most of it though…less than legal…means. Kankuro and Temari both worked five or six legitimate jobs between them, but Gaara was the one who made most of the family's money. I had been one of his biggest patrons, but I had slowly been giving up my habits, since I couldn't explain to my parents why I no longer had any 'spending money' to use on other luxuries. I still owed Gaara an extremely large sum of money-an amount that even if I stopped using drugs this moment and saved all of my allowances-if those massive amounts of money could be called such-for the next two years, I still wouldn't have enough to pay him back. The young man was patient, but he had been getting annoying lately with his reminders of my debt. I guess his suppliers wanted their share and he didn't have all of it, but I also knew from Kankuro that Gaara was now giving them their pay out of his own pockets and could easily pay off all of _his_ debt, but that would leave him completely broke for a while. _So I'm going to owe everyone money soon if I don't find something…_I thought to myself as I walked through the halls of my apartment, only glaring at Itachi for a moment before swiftly closing my bedroom door behind myself.

The welcoming darkness of my room called to me, but before I got the chance to feel my way around the, still, unfamiliar room until I found my bed, Itachi gently tapped on the door. _Damn bastard…what does he want now? _"Nani?"

"Your little friend called before you got home…Neji? He wanted you to pick him up at his house in a little while…" Itachi stated through the thick wood of my door, his soft voice almost completely muted by the oak. I glared at, what I though to be, the door, then cursed underneath my breath as I brushed my fingertips against my bed's firm mattress.

_Damn idiot needs to get his own car…_I thought to myself as I, yet again, fumbled around my room-eventually finding the door-and stomped out of the house, quickly grabbing my jacket and slipping my sandals on before allowing the front door to slam behind me. That action left the door shaking, and I could hear Itachi's muffled laughter as I stormed towards my car.

/\/\

(Neji's POV)

"Um…Neji-san?" Hinata stared at the ground while nervously playing with he fingers. I couldn't help but smirk at such an adorable creature. The young heiress had always looked at me as her older brother, and was usually the exact opposite from the timid, innocent young lady she played when around others, which led me to believe she wanted something from me.

"What is it, Hinata-sama?" I asked politely, restraining the urge to attack the poor girl and do a few…unmentionable…acts to her. If I would have allowed myself to show more emotion to people, especially Hinata, at this moment, I would have been: A-blushing like an idiot from the ideas I was putting into my own head, or B-curse colorfully, out loud, at myself for having such thoughts about my-less than legally consenting-cousin. _AHH! Why must she only be sixteen?_ I then thought of another option…C-tell Hinata why I am always such a cold, hateful bastard to her, then seduce her, and-after adding a few more images into my already perverse mind, one of which including Hinata in a very skimpy French maid's outfit-I almost smacked myself in front of the girl for my 'C' plan.

'Anou sa…Sasuke-san…when he comes…can I go with you?" _So kaiwaii!_ I couldn't help but notice the cute blush on her cheeks as she looked around the room, never making eye contact with me. Her fingers fumbled nervously as she finally glanced up into my eyes, which were identical to hers.

"Why?" I asked, masking my curiosity.

"I-I…I wanted to go with you…" she mumbled softly, her eyes fixed on my own. I was probably the only person who knew how stubborn the girl truly was, but then again, I knew her best out of everyone. I didn't understand why the heiress would want to go out to a bar with two males, since that was what I was planning to do and she knew it, but the possibilities of "accidents" already were racing through my mind. _Maybe if we can get her drunk enough…_I shook my head at that idea. I would never to such a thing to my precious Hinata.

I sighed and folded my arms across my chest. "Only if you promise not to wander out of my sight," I replied as coldly as I could and, as soon as she lowered her head, mumbling 'arigatou,' I smiled. She had been under my 'care' for years and I hadn't let any harm befall her yet. Perhaps that was thanks to my excellent vision and years of schooling in the ninja ways, but I thought it was more fate that kept Hinata out of trouble.

"Of course, Neji-san," Hinata replied, smiling at me. _Or it could be because of that unbelievably adorable face…_I stopped my wandering thoughts and eyes (which were beginning to drift to my cousin's retreating rear) before they allowed any more perversions into my head, but one slipped by. _She's so cute…AH! Cousin! COUSIN! Even Gaara would look at me weird for incestuous thoughts…and he's gay!_

Before I got the chance to further yell at myself, I heard (and saw) Sasuke's black car pull up outside the mansion's outer gates. "Let's go, Hinata-sama," I stated, nearly falling over in surprise when Hinata took my hand and started walking to the closest exit. _Kami-sama…is it my fate to be continuously mocked!_

"Neji-san? Are you alright…your hand is getting very sweaty…" Hinata commented, looking at me with concern in her eyes. I mumbled something along the lines of 'I'm fine,' I think. I wasn't sure exactly what I said because I was still in a half-daze over the small hand around my larger one, but whatever I said, made the girl smile and continue pulling me towards the small black car waiting for us outside.

/\/\

(Sasuke's POV)

"Oh, konnichiwa, Hinata-chan," I said with slight surprise as the smaller Hyuuga climbed into the car, pulling Neji in behind her. I took one look at the girl's guardian and could see he was dazed-something that didn't happen very often to the stoic Neji-but then I saw the tight grasp Hinata had on his hand.

"Konnichiwa, Sasuke-san," Hinata replied, smiling politely . "Gomen…I-I asked Neji-san if I could come…If it's too much of a bother, I'll-"

"No, it's fine, Hinata-chan," I replied quickly…Neji's deadly glare was starting to unnerve me. "But I hope you don't mind the company of a bunch of guys…"

"Bunch?" Neji blinked, his death glare finally gone. "Who else is coming?"

"Gaara and Kankuro. They said they found a new club that we 'have to see,'" I replied. The red-head _was_ one of my closest friends, besides Neji, but there was also our never-ending rivalry-and that there was _something _I couldn't place about him. Some of the looks he gave me made my body shiver slightly, but I had grown accustomed to them.

"Oh, where is it?" Neji asked, his loving gaze at Hinata disrupted for a moment as he glanced at me. I particularly didn't see why Neji was so apprehensive about telling Hinata his feelings-Gaara remained blissfully ignorant of Neji's attraction to the girl, so I had no one who would agree with me.

"Um…near your school…" I replied as I pulled away from the curb and pressed the gas pedal to the floor-I had a horrible habit of speeding when not under-the-influence. All of my friends agreed I as a better driver when I was high or drunk.

"It's your school, too," Neji pointed out, giving me a glance that warned me to decrease my speed to something near the speed limit. "So, how was your first day?" Without even looking back at him, I could tell he was smirking.

"Are _all_ girls in your school crazed?" I asked, glancing at him in the rear-view mirror. He raised an eyebrow, then I guess he understood what I was referring to and did his trademark smirk.

"So, that's why Sakura seemed to be in a daze all day…" Neji commented. I gave him a look that mirrored my surprised thought: _You know that girl!_ "She's a friend of Hinata's…and I have a math class with her." _Hmm…she must be smart to be taking the same accelerated classes as Neji…pft…she didn't' seem it while she drooled all over me every time she saw me…I felt like I was going to be eaten…WHY would Hinata associate herself with such a person!_

"Sakura-chan means well…she's very nice most of the time…but she's.." Hinata blushed and turned her head to the side, which happened to be into Neji's chest. I glanced back, with an eyebrow raised, watching the girl nuzzle her face into her cousin's well-built body and the look on Neji's face was something that I will make sure to use in blackmailing him one day. The Hyuuga looked to be in pure ecstasy as he stared at his cousin's head with wide eyes and a reddening blush covering the majority of his face. Neji looked like he was about to explode.

After a moment of awkward silence, Neji got calmed down enough to finish Hinata's explanation of Sakura. "She's a little boy-crazy…you should tell her off, that's what I did…"

What any female could _ever _see in Neji, I couldn't even begin to guess. With that thought, I realized I didn't even know what women saw in me! No matter where I went-even on my family's own estates-a pack of blushing and giggling creatures flocked around me. I knew I was slightly cold to everyone (A/N: Sasuke's in severe denial) and I wasn't anything interesting to look at. Black hair, pale skin, shorter than the rest of my friends-I didn't even have a stunning body! The only thing eye-catching about my physical features were my red eyes, which I usually covered up with black contacts-people seemed to stare at me a little less when I had dark eyes. The color of my eyes was inherited from my father's family and was one of the few things that proved Itachi and I were siblings. I thought Gaara, for l of his strange little quirks, should be more popular with women than myself (and Neji). Gaara had amazingly red hair, pale eyes, and a beautiful body that just begged to be licked all over.

_Hold it…did I just _think_ Gaara's body was beautiful!_ I was so stunned from my own thoughts, I blocked out the rest of my internal comment on his body. I had never had such a…frightening thought before in my life.

"Sasuke…are you okay?" Neji's concerned voice ripped me from my confused thoughts. I blinked, then looked back at him in the rear-view mirror, a questioning expression on my face. "You stopped the car."

"I…I'm fine…" My voice was shaking so much, I even got an unprecedented second look of concern from Neji. Quickly pressing down on the gas pedal to stop Neji's worried glances in my direction, I sighed internally. I removed all of the unusual thoughts of Gaara, filling that void with all the reasons I hated my family-mainly Itachi. That action always calmed me down…or at least changed those emotions unfamiliar to me, such as fear and anxiety, to anger, the feeling I was most accustomed to.

_That son of a bitch mocks me all the time with that smug "I'm better than you and you know it" look on his face…that laugh…_I continued to list the reasons why I had such a seething hatred for my brother, only to realize that of all the reasons, I had no real reason to hate my brother. _Well, today's just filled with discoveries._

"This is the place," I stated as I pulled the car over next to a large, seemingly abandoned warehouse. _Hm…Gaara told me this was the place-doesn't look all that great…_I thought to myself as I got out and quickly opened Hinata's door-being taught gentlemanly behavior from an early age made such acts reflexes. She smiled shyly at me as she got out and walked around the car's back to Neji's side.

"You're sure this is the place?" Neji asked curiously. It didn't seem anything like the clubs we were used to-loud, large, and the only way to get in was either money or reputation (both of which I had in my old city, but I was a stranger in this new place)-but as we got closer to the only visible entrance to the club, a large metal door blocked by one man. He was quite frightening to look at-his body loomed over all three of us and his face was half covered in gauze, leather straps crossing his black-clad chest-I guess that those could be used for carrying an extremely large weapon, probably a sword guessing form the vibe I got from the man. That same vibe sent shivers down my back-I knew this man wasn't someone you would want to play around with, unless you had a death wish.

"What do you want?" he asked gruffly, his eyes traveling over Neji, a quivering Hinata, and my head. I hated when people looked over me like I was nothing…if he wasn't so large, and through him was the only way to get into the club, I would have been quite happy to kick his ass.

"A friend of mine, Gaara, told us to come," I replied coldly. I discovered that if you allowed someone like this bouncer to intimidate you, they would do it every chance they got. And I wasn't going to let this gargantuan step all over me.

"Gaara-san only mentioned two kids…" he stated, glaring at Hinata with a questioning look. "This isn't a place for little girls."

"I-I wanted to come, sir. Neji-san and Sasuke-san said I could…gomen…" Hinata lowered her head, then looked up at the man with such innocent eyes, he backed up slightly. _Heh…Hinata could get this pushover to do anything…_I almost laughed out loud when I saw that the man had instantaneously crumbled from her teary-eyed look.

"Fine…from now on, you may call me Zabuza, what shall I call you?" Zabuza asked and, from the confused looks he got from the three of us, guessed we hadn't understood him. "Nothing, not even names or looks, enter or leave the club."

"Looks?" I questioned curiously. _This trip may have actually been worth my time…_I thought to myself, glaring up at the man, who was still eying Hinata-probably readying himself for another one of her adorable facial expressions.

"We would rather not deal with our guests being recognized, unless they wanted to," Zabuza explained. He stepped away from the door and pushed it open with a single muscular arm. "First door on your left is the dressing room, first door to the right is the club. Don't go through any other doors."

Neji and Hinata entered the dimly lit corridor, but I hesitated for a moment, looking up at Zabuza. "You never asked us our names."

"Tell me when you leave, Uchiha-san," Zabuza replied, glancing down at me smugly. "Your friends don't need names so much as yourself."

"Huh?" I looked up at him again-damn people always being taller than me-and furrowed my eyebrows. The large man peered down at me for a moment before looking to something behind me.

"Your brother is a frequent guest…he wouldn't be pleased to hear that you visited us…" Zabuza replied curtly, his eyes remaining fixed on something behind me.

"Oh, why not?" _That smug bastard would love to be able to report to my parents that I go to a club and drink…and do drugs…_

"Substances aren't the only things sold here…that, and if the owners heard that underage kids are getting in, they won't be too happy," he stated.

_Thy won't be too happy with _him_, he means,_ I thought, nodding my head in understanding. I passed him and made my way down the long, dark corridor and took the first door to my left, like Zabuza had ordered me to.

/\/\

(Neji's POV)

"About time you got he-" Gaara's eyes widened slightly when he saw Hinata hiding behind me, her small hands clinging to my shirt. _If only those hands were clutching something else._ I sighed, finally giving up my "mission to un-pervert myself." "Where's Sasuke?" Gaara asked, leaning back in the plush booth he was lounging across.

"Right here," Sasuke replied, walking up next to me. Glancing over at the Uchiha, I noticed his face was covered by an oval mask, very similar to the ones Hinata and I were wearing, except for that were our masks were featureless and solid white, his was covered in unusual black patterns. The boy's hair was also pulled back into an odd, gravity-defying ponytail-something I had never seen Sasuke do before. He looked older with his hair pulled out of his face-more like Itachi-even with the mask covering up his face.

"Can I get you something to drink?" an alto voice asked from my side. I turned and stared at the single most beautiful creature-besides Hinata-sama, of course-I had ever seen.

Long, dark hair that had been pulled back into a tight bun with two strands covered by identical long, silver beads framing the creature's face, soft brown eyes, and-upon further study of the beauty's delicate body covered with tight, black leather pants and a loose-fitting poet's shirt that was open to the breast-bone-_quite_ male.

"Inko, theses are the friends I was telling you about," Gaara said coolly, sitting up on the red leather bench. Sasuke immediately sat down next to Gaara and I slowly sat down on the red-head's other side, Hinata still clinging to my shirt. _Parakeet? Strange name…_I thought to myself, watching the young man as he, in return, studied us.

"Oh, I'm very pleased to finally meet you," Inko said, smiling at us. "Let me guess, beer for Gaara-san, sake, some ginger ale for the lady, and…" The man stared at Sasuke for a moment, his lips pursed in a cute pout. "Hmmm…scotch?"

"Wrong," Sasuke commented smugly.

"Oh? Then what will you have, handsome?" he asked seductively, bending down next to Sasuke. _If he was a girl, Sasuke would have a lovely view of cleavage right now_, I noted to myself. It was scaring me slightly that it was hard for me to keep my eyes off of the small man nearly resting his head on Sasuke's chest. No one had been able to do that to me before, except for Hinata, of course.

"A beer," Sasuke replied, sighing loud enough for Inko to hear him. The boy didn't even seem to notice their 'waiter's' close proximity.

"Alright then…" Inko stated, standing back up as he smiled. He pulled a mask out of his shirt and put it on. The mask, like ours, was white, but had a red swirl across it and four identical S-shaped lines on the forehead. "I'll be back with your drinks in a moment."

"Inko…" Gaara's voice stopped the young man in mid-turn and, as Inko turned to look at him with slits for eyes, he continued, "Who's working tonight?"

I wasn't sure, but I guessed that Inko had smiled underneath his mask and the young man replied, "Kitsune…he'll be out in a few minutes…" With that, Inko turned and quickly left our table.

"Working?" Sasuke asked curiously, turning his masked head to look at Gaara. The boy nodded his head and looked over the back of the bench. Sasuke and my gazes followed his and saw that we were on a balcony overlooking an extremely large-and unusually empty-dance floor. There were two tables on the floor, one in front of the small bar that was built into a nearby wall and the other was…unique. It had two circular cages that occupied the ends of the oval table and in the middle was a pole that reached up to the black ceiling, which was almost two stories above our heads.

"What is that pole for?" Hinata asked innocently, looking from Gaara, to Sasuke, then to myself.

I grabbed the neck of Gaara's fishnet shirt and growled, then-slowly so the red-head could understand me-stated threateningly, "If this is a male strip club…" _Hinata doesn't need to see this…damn Gaara and his kinky ways…_

"No…not just males…"Gaara replied nonchalantly. "And they don't strip, they dance…it's interesting to watch…like a difficult fighting style." _Damn bastard loves fighting too much…almost as much as Sasuke…_

"And this Kitsune?" Sasuke asked, staring at the metal pole in wonder. He wasn't as 'innocent' as Hinata, so he was probably imagining just exactly what a girl could do on that pole…as was I. _Why does the pole have to be so tall?_

"The best of all the employees," Gaara replied, pausing for a moment, then continuing, "and, sadly, the most expensive…"

"Ex…pensive?" It took a moment for the information to add up in my head, and when it did, I tightened my grip on Gaara's shirt and shook him violently. "What are you thinking! Having Hinata-sama come to such a place?"

"I didn't invite her, you did," Gaara pointed out, which only fueled my anger. I hated to be proven wrong…especially by that smug bastard. He knew me almost as well as Sasuke did, so he knew exactly how to get a reaction out of me.

"I want to stay," Hinata stated firmly, glaring at me through the flat slits in her mask. I could tell she was glaring from the hairs prickling on the back of my neck. She could be very frightening when she wanted to be.

"We aren't forcing anything," a voice behind me stated, sounding hurt. I whirled around to see a new masked "server," but this one, unlike Inko, was obviously female. "You really shouldn't judge this place so quickly, Neji-san."

I stared at her for a moment, about ready to ask her who the hell she was, but then I saw the pink hair. "Saku…ra-chan?" I couldn't help but stare, mouth gaping open, at my scantily-clad classmate. Her usual dress-like shirt and shorts had been replaced with a _very_ short, black leather skirt and a pink bikini top covered by a black mesh tank top.

"Shh…my name here is Neko," Sakura said softly, a smile showing on her face. I noticed that her white mask only covered the upper half of her face and, unlike our oval masks, was carved into something resembling a cat, with pointed ears emerging from her long hair.

"Neko-chan, gomen," I quickly apologized, realizing what I had said in front of her. While not exactly "respectable," it was her job to do such acts. _But why something like this? She could have any job she wanted with her intelligence…_

"It's alright, Neji-san. And…if you wouldn't mind…could none of you let anyone else in school know about this?" Sakura asked softly, setting a round platter covered in drinks-four of which she removed and placed on the table-and a varied assortment of…other interesting items. "The club's going to be open soon…I think the Boss said to expect at least three hundred tonight, so I better get back to work…" With that said, Sakura smiled and left the table. My eyes followed her to a table where two older men were sitting-their backs to us-and handed the taller a pen and piece of paper and the smaller a book. From their postures, they didn't look too old, but they had to be quite old, considering the one's white and the other's grayish-silver hair.

"What's wrong, Sasuke?" Gaara asked, pulling my gaze from the two peculiar men. I glanced over at Sasuke, who was staring at the dance floor below us. I looked down at the floor and saw a group of youths walking onto the dance floor.

"Oi, Gaara, get your tight ass down here!" a voice called up to us, making Sasuke and myself stare at said boy, while Hinata blushed and sipped on her soda in such a cute fashion. _KUSO!_

"He's entertaining his boyfriends…he can't be bothered!" another voice, definitely female, pointed out. Her remark made the group below snicker. Gaara blushed-yes, blushed-and glared down at the group.

"…" Sasuke raised an eyebrow at the word "boyfriends." He was a _bit _prejudiced when it came to gays, but most people didn't know that-and even fewer knew why. Once, when Sasuke had first discovered he had an allergic reaction to a certain drug-I couldn't remember its name-and we all believed he was going to die on us, he explained to Gaara and myself why he had such a hatred for homosexual males (he had no problem with two girls) and why he despised his brother so.

Sasuke had nearly been raped by his older brother and a bunch of his 'friends' when he was around seven. They stopped only after Sasuke had gotten his hands on a knife and stabbed one of Itachi's friends. The man lived, but ever since then, Sasuke had hated his brother, and visa versa, and was scared of almost all men. Ironic, how of the two male friends he actually had, one was gay (Sasuke, for some reason, hadn't figured out that yet) and the other was a pervert after his own cousin.

And ever since that day, Gaara had made sure, through his 'connections,' Sasuke wouldn't be able to get his hands on whatever that drug was. The stoic red-head never admitted it to anyone, as far as I knew, but he obviously had a thing for Sasuke and did all he could to protect and help the Uchiha. It was kind of cute, but at the same time, sad, since Gaara knew Sasuke could never feel the same towards him.

Gaara stood up and quickly squeezed past Sasuke, glaring in front of himself as he went stomping off. "Sasuke-kun, are you alright?" Hinata asked, resting her hand on Sasuke's. I had realized years ago that Hinata was the only person who could touch Sasuke without the stoic bastard recoiling. The Uchiha glanced up from his beer and stared at Hinata for a moment.

"I'm fine…" he replied softly. Hinata was also the only person Sasuke acted…human…around. There was just something soothing and caring about her. _And unbelievably sexy…NO…BAD!_

Sighing inwardly at a few…interesting…images, I took a sip of my sake, finally wondering how Inko knew my favorite drink was warm sake.

/\

Authoress: well…that was an interesting first chapter…ne? anyways…um…if anyone needs these translations…

Inko-parakeet

Neko-cat

Kitsune-fox (like you people didn't know)

As for the title…hensou-disguise, masquerade

Inko's full name is actually Botan'inko (lovebird)…which will be explained later on in the story…anyways…please tell me how this first chappie was!


	2. Aishiteru

Authoress: yay! I'm back for chappie two!.../does a dance/ okies then...since I'm typing this one the instant after I put up chappie one...I don't have any reviews yet...so, I'll just go on ranting to myself... Iruka:...I wasn't in the last chapter.../cries/

Authoress/glomps unsuspecting teacher/ SOO SEXY WITH KAKASHI!

Kakashi/blinks in confusion, looking up from the newest edition of Icha Icha Paradise/

Authoress: okay then...now, I'll make this short...

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto.../sobs softly/ I wish I did...it'd be a lovely day for all Yaoi fanatics...oh, and just to tell you people...it's up to you who the main pairing ends up to be...it'll be an ongoing vote...so prepare yourself!

Gaara/does a dance to get attention/ PICK MEEE!

Neji: did he take his own stuff again?

Sasuke: I think so...

Authoress:...I don't know why...but Gaara just needed to be a drug dealer...and now...for Naruto's appearance!

Chapter Two: Only For You

Naruto's POV

"Hey sexy," Haku said softly, wrapping his arms around me. He always smelled wonderful-like morning dew. It was soothing to feel his warmth against my back, but at that moment, I needed something more than his comforting embrace. "Daijoubu ka?"

"I'm fine...just a little tired," I replied, returning the brotherly hug. He sighed, tightening his grip on my chest just enough to tell me he knew _why_ I was so tired and that he cared. I thought it was funny that people were surprised at how Haku and I could read body language so well. The years we had been together, we had learned that words weren't needed between us.

"Gaara's here," Haku stated, changing the subject to the mysterious teen he knew I had a _little _bit of a crush on. "And he's brought a few friends...I guess the saying that 'beautiful people attract beautiful people' is true. The one boy is drop-dead gorgeous...I wonder what he looks like under that mask..."

I raised an eyebrow and smirked as Haku rested his head on my shoulder, his forehead gently pressing against my cheek. "Hmm...I don't think Zabuza will like hearing you're fantasizing about a guest..." Haku snorted and pulled himself away from me. _Ha...so those two are fighting again, I knew it! _I thought to myself. The couple, like any other pair of lovers, had their ups and downs, but Zabuza's and Haku's arguments most closely resembled wars-and within two days, they would make up (usually with hot, passionate sex that the rest of us employees had to fortune to hear...or in my case, feel). _Ah, it's wonderful to live in the apartment next to Haku's and Zabuza's...especially during their...earthquakes..._I thought sarcastically, turning to look at Haku.

"Is something wrong, Naruto?" I smiled evilly at my 'nii-san,' who returned my smile with a suspicious look.

"I'm not going to get much sleep tonight, either, am I?" I asked, my smirk growing into a fit of laughter at the flustered look on Haku's face. He was one of those people who could be embarrassed very easily, especially when it concerned his sex life.

"WHAA!" Haku spun around and stomped out of our small dressing room. _He hates it when I'm right and I know it! HA!_ Sighing, I lifted up my carved mask from its place on the table in front of me and stared at it. It most closely resembled a fox with pointed fangs lining the top half of a snout, which was contorted into a snarl, and red outlining the eye slits. The mask's characteristics made it very frightening, especially to people who had never seen it before. The demonic-looking mask even gave me shivers sometimes, but I ignored that little voice in the back of my head, which was screaming in fear, as I slid it over my face. I quickly adjusted the leather strap around my head so it was hidden in my hair and took a glance in the large vanity mirror. I agreed with that voice for a moment as I stared at my fearsome reflection. Sometimes, one of my 'friends' asks why I wore such an obviously disturbing mask...they never got an answer, since I didn't want them to know the truth. Only four people...my 'family'...had ever seen my face without the mask on and hid what they truly thought of me. I sighed, knowing what everyone would do if they knew exactly what I was. _They would never look at me the same if they knew..._

_They'd probably curse me like everyone else..._

"About time, Kitsune!" Neko yelled over the array of music. The floor seemed to shake with the bass, but it could have also been the masses of bodies moving on the dance floor. I smiled politely at the pink-haired girl, immediately getting the attention of a few others. While some whispered my 'name,' others moved out of my path. Why did this-fear, awe, I never knew-I wasn't sure, but as soon as I reached the oval stage in the center of the floor, I glanced over to my left, then to my right, and truly smiled at my two 'fathers.' "Sensei!" The brunette glanced over at me and smiled, turning so I could see his full "costume." He and the other Sensei took the same name...maybe it was because they were lovers, I never asked either man, since I really didn't want to have to hear something about their sex life...I'd be scarred for life. Both Sensei wore the same outfit; a pair of tight black pants and a green vest, completely open to show off their muscular bodies.

Even though I had never been attracted to either of the two, I couldn't help but stare in (aroused) awe when the sliver-haired pervert removed himself from his cage and quickly raced into the other. A few of the guests, who had to obviously be regulars, cried out and clapped as Kakashi cornered Iruka and pulled the brunette into a crushing kiss. _Exhibitionists...how do their masks not break? _I wondered as I watched with curiosity as Kakashi and Iruka began a sensual dance, their hands traveling over each other's body fervently and received cheers from their audience. _It's like live porn..._I thought to myself, sighing as I hoisted myself up onto the stage and wrapped my fingers around the cold metal pole in front of me. Screams went up when our 'usuals' saw my body press against the metal. I shivered slightly at the cold touch of iron against my scantily clad body. I hated being so exposed, but the missing shirt and loose black pants, along with my mask, were my trademark outfit. Kakashi had told me more than once that my body was amazing-then Iruka hit him in the head and called him a pervert...Kakashi just took Iruka into his arms and pulled down his black mask. Too bad his back was always facing me. I was starting to think it was a conspiracy, but I promised that one day, I will see his entire face. That pervert's mask was always on, even when we were working, but he also wore a mask that, like nearly every other employee, covered the upper half of his face. Kakashi's mask had no carvings in it, it only had one mark on it, a vertical line on over his left eye. Iruka's mask was pretty much the same, plain, but his sole marking stretched across the bridge of his nose. Only the employees knew that that mark was identical to the scar on his face.

A pair of hands on my hips jerked me from my thoughts. The strong hands were calloused, but their touch was soft on my naked flesh. These oxymoronic hands slid around my waist and a warm body pressed against mine. Just from the way his body fit mine perfectly, I knew it was Gaara. "Hi, Beautiful...we've missed you lately."

"Hmph..." Gaara was beautiful-the single most gorgeous creature I had ever seen. He and I held a mutual attraction, but the teen had yet to make any move, so we kept our relations at a level of friendship, but I wouldn't mind changing that status. I sighed inwardly, hoping that, for once, this embrace would turn into something more. _He always greets me like this...but he's really an affectionate person...so I guess it's not that weird for him to go up and hug his friends..._

"Who are your friends?" I asked softly, remembering what Haku had told me earlier. _I wonder if they're as handsome as him..._

"Childhood friends...customers..." Gaara mumbled as our bodies ebbed to the beat of the music. I knew Gaara sold illegal drugs-who was I to judge?-but to his childhood friends? "Come up to the second floor and I'll introduce you..."

His voice made my body shiver-the deep tone coming from a boy a year younger than myself, who was already a full head taller than me, always had an impact on people, but this time...his voice sounded different. "Once I'm given a break," I replied, turning my head to look at the young man. He was the only person I knew of, besides Zabuza, who didn't wear one of the club's masks, but I knew it would be a sin to cover up that face. I knew his cheeks, almost round enough to be called pudgy, and button nose screamed 'juvenile,' but looking into those pale green eyes, enhanced by the black eye liner he always wore, I couldn't help but feel like _I_ was a child compared to him. And, at only fifteen, Gaara had a body that even Kakashi was jealous of and the teen's unusual wardrobe always hid the majority of his body, but I had seen him without his clothes on...and it was heavenly.

_Too bad he found out that I'm extremely lucky...or else we could have played strip poker again..._I thought to myself, remembering that everyone-every employee and a few of our regulars-was completely naked except for Kakashi and myself. Well, correction, except for his mask-which he refused to take off-Kakashi was as bare as the others. _Zabuza is a scary sight...Haku has guts for sleeping with that walking mound of muscle...no wonder he's the only bouncer...who would need a second one with him around!_ I smiled at the thought of the 'walking mound of muscle.' It was one of those love/hate relationships between us and, even if Haku wasn't completely in love with him, I would have still seen him as part of my family. Thinking back at our strip poker tournament, I shivered when I remembered Gai.

Gaara, noticing my shiver, wrapped his arms tightly around me, pulling me further into his chest. _He smells wonderful...like...the sand on a beach..._I thought to myself as I tilted my head back to look up at his face again. Gaara, for all of his glares and almost evil demeanor, was truly a compassionate person. _Ever since I've met Gaara...I knew I could talk to him about anything..._ His caring embraces always helped me when I was in one of my moods and, like with Haku, he didn't even need to say anything to me.

I didn't realize until Gaara's arms loosened from their grip around me that the song had ended. I looked into his face and could detect the smallest of smiles there. I heard cries of the people surrounding us as a much faster song started up. Smiling at the red head, I watched as he looked down. I knew he was going to leave the dance floor-for some reason, he hated the faster songs that I loved.

I was about to say "I'll be up in a few," but I only got to 'I-' before I discovered Gaara's lips on my own. I unconsciously returned the kiss, pressing my tongue against his soft lips. Our gentle kiss quickly turned into a passionate mating of tongues. Gaara wove his fingers of one hand into my hair, tipping my head back slightly while his other hand rested on my hip. Involuntarily I curled my fingers into the back of Gaara's shirt, pulling myself flush against the taller teen.

I could hear the collective gasps around us and a loud _bang_ come from my right over my own pants for breath. I somehow knew that that bang was Iruka; he either fell or fainted out of surprise. I couldn't blame him for being so shocked. The only people I had ever kissed with such fervor were my customers, but I never did so in public, and the only public displays of affection were when I kissed Haku, but that was just to 'advertise' and to annoy Zabuza to no ends. Not even Zabuza could _not_ be aroused by being a spectator to one of Haku's and my make-out sessions.

I could feel my heart pounding in my chest as Gaara pushed me against the pole. I couldn't help but inwardly thank him for that. I had already begun feeling as if my legs would give out at any given moment and I didn't want to embarrass myself by falling. As soon as I felt the cold metal touch my spine, it seemed as if the world around us faded away. The sounds, voices, even the heat of the club seemed to disappear-everything disappeared from my senses except for that pole and him.

I was astonished to find out that Gaara, even though he didn't look it, was an excellent kisser; not even the best kiss I had ever experienced before held a candle to this. Even when having sex-however mind blowing it was-I never felt like this...as if...as if time itself had been stopped. My moment of ecstasy ended when I felt Gaara's strong hand cup my cheek and his body pull away reluctantly. "After you meet my friends...upstairs?" he asked softly, his husky voice interrupted after each word by a soft gasp for breath.

I stared at him, the image of his flushed face and almost pleading eyes engraved into my mind. _So beautiful..._I thought to myself, unable to believe I was this lucky. Then, his question returned to my thoughts and, if Gaara hadn't had me nearly squashed between him and the pole, his arm now holding onto my waist, I would have collapsed. **_Upstairs!_** I couldn't even find my voice, I was so...excited. I nodded my head, gulping. My excitement was quickly replaced by nervousness as a thousand questions swarmed into my mind. _Will I be able to please him? Is it his first time? Am I going to be top or bottom? What about work? Should I go get some lubricant? How many people has Gaara been with? Is he going to think I'm a whore?_ My thoughts continued to spiral downwards, making me almost depressed. _Of course Gaara hasn't slept with as many people as me..._ At that moment, I felt so embarrassed that I nearly slipped out from Gaara's embrace.

Gaara stopped my action with a single movement of his hand; I froze when I felt his arm pull me closer to his chest, the hand that had been cupping my cheek slowly moving down to my shaking hand. He wrapped his fingers around mined and pulled my hand up to his face. I stared in amazement as Gaara brushed his lips against my knuckles, then looked up at me.

"Gomen..." I gasped when I saw the hurt in his eyes. Even though the rest of his face betrayed no emotion, it felt as if my heart was being sliced by some invisible blade when I saw those eyes. I, not even thinking about my actions and no longer caring about Gaara seeing me as a slut, threw myself at Gaara, wrapping my arms so tightly around his neck, I swore I heard him gasp for breath once. I buried my head into his chest, reveling in his distinct scent.

"Let's go meet your friends," I said softly into his shirt, knowing that my quick movements and statement must have surprised Gaara. He chuckled softly and squeezed my hand. Letting his longer fingers intertwine with my own, I followed him off of the raised platform. As we wove through the dancing crowd, I only took a quick glance back at Iruka, who was smiling from his sprawled position on the floor. Iruka nodded his head at my unasked questions. _Those two can take care of the stage for the rest of the night._

"How about meeting them another time?" Gaara asked softly when we finally reached the stairway. I looked at him questioningly, noticing his gaze was on a young man walking down the same stairs we were going up. For a moment, the two stared at each other-their silence created a tense atmosphere. I wanted to call him an icicle for the cold vibe I got from him, but I could also tell from his posture that he was _quite_ angry...and some of his anger was directed at Gaara. _Is this one of Gaara's childhood friends...iie...friends don't get this angry about something..._I thought to myself. wondered for a moment who the man was, if he wasn't one of Gaara's friends, but my attention quickly redirected itself at a pair of teens who were obviously following the dark haired man. They both wore identical masks-perfectly unmarked. For a moment, I assumed that they were lovers, since that was generally the only reason people wore the same mask, but then I saw how oddly they acted next to each other. _Family..._I thought, getting a feeling that the two were closely related by blood.

I almost furrowed my eyebrows when I noticed the glances the tall boy gave his...sister? Even though I couldn't see his face, I could tell that it was a look of affection. _That isn't brotherly love..._I thought, guessing the two's relationship was one of unrequited love, but I changed my mind again when I watched as the girl and her...brother...began following the icicle (who had obviously finished glaring at Gaara). For a moment, I was sure I could see the girl trying to hold the boy's hand. _Well...that's one fucked up relationship...brother likes sister...sister likes brother...and they don't know it..._I sighed, glancing up at Gaara. I could see the dejected look on his face for a moment, but that expression was quickly replaced by his usual stoic face. "Gaara?"

"What?" He glanced up from the floor as we ascended the stairs, smiling gently at me. In the year I had known Gaara, I had never seen him with such...defeat in his eyes.

"Are you alright?" I asked, tightening my fingers around his. He sighed, looking at me for a moment before nodding his head slightly. At that moment, I just wanted to hold Gaara forever...never let go...and protect him from anything else that would hurt him.

With that protective feeling, I realized that I didn't just have a crush on the red head. Somehow, in the months that I had gotten to know Gaara-while he attempted to drown himself with alcohol-I had fallen head over heels in love with the quiet man. "Kitsune?"

I looked up at him, realizing that we were already outside one of the rooms reserved for 'guests,' then smiled softly, standing on my toes to kiss Gaara on the cheek. "Aishiteru..."

Gaara's eyes widened at my statement, then softened as he embraced me. He whispered into my ear, so softly I almost missed it, but I heard his reply and smiled softly into his shoulder.

_Aishiteru...no one's ever said that to me before..._

Authoress: yep, another chappie's done...and I must say...even though Gaara came out a lil' OOC...just a tad, ne?...it came out good...different from what I first wrote...

Naruto: She writes everything out by hand first...

Authoress: yep...I'm so bored...and Carpal tunnel hurts/cries/ I hope everyone liked this chappie, and more to come! Oh, PS...this story...the final pairing depends on what you guys want...it could end up being Gaara/Naruto, Gaara/Sasuke, or Naruto/Gaara...all depends on you guys, so review away! Oh, another thing...PLEASE TELL ME IF YOU WANT THE NEXT CHAPTER TO BE A LEMON FOR THESE TWO LOVEBIRDS!...if no one says anything...it'll be a surprise!


	3. Believe In Your Heart

Authoress: I'm sorry for the cliffhanger last chappie…and I'm not in the lemon-writing mood right now…so maybe next chapter we'll go back to Naruto and Gaara…don't worry…they're together for a while…we'll have our chances to peek in on the happy couple…

Naruto//blushes/

Authoress: heh…yep…that would be nice…heh…

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto…if I did…drools for a moment damn…there'd be so many different pairings…we'd just have to have a big orgy to fit it all in one series…heh /smiles evilly/ I have found a new favorite pairing…and it will be one my next story…Gaara/Neji…oh, god…PEOPLE READ Vindicated…it's an amazing story…and I highly recommend Lost and Found…I cried during both of them…they were so beautiful…and horribly angst-filled…but I'm an angst whore…so it's all good! To Hurricane-rider and Junsui Kegasu…if you guys read this…those stories were beautiful!

Chapter Three

Hinata's POV

"Damn bastard…" Sasuke mumbled to himself for the fifth time since we reached the car, glaring at the same point on the windshield he had been trying to melt with his gaze since we got into his small convertible.

_Poor Sasuke-san…I didn't' believe Neji-niisan when he said Sasuke hated all homosexuals…_I thought to myself, hoping that Neji would say something to calm his fuming friend. In all the years Sasuke had been an adopted child of our family, he had never been this upset in my presence. High, drunk, yes, I had seen him at his worst…usually I was the one who had to take care of him when he got sick, since he didn't want his family to know about his habits and my parents remained somewhat ignorant for their own reasons, but he had never been so…un-Sasuke-like while I was around.

If I wasn't as shy as I was around him and Neji, I would have probably been trying to calm him down in a motherly way-in other words, holding him and talking in a soft, calming voice. I didn't do that, since I knew Sasuke would probably just freeze up like he usually did when I tried helping him. My heart ached when I saw the look on Gaara's face when Sasuke had glared at him. He seemed depressed at Sasuke's reaction. I guess he was hoping for Sasuke to finally accept him. _I knew Gaara liked other men…so did Neji…and Sasuke is Gaara's best friend…he should be able to accept Gaara's lifestyle no matter what…_I thought to myself, for a moment disappointed in the Uchiha, but from the look on Sasuke's face-or what I could see from my position in the back seat-I forgot about being mad at Sasuke. I felt sorry for him instead. I could tell from the look in Sasuke's eyes that he was really upset, but it didn't look like he was angry at Gaara…more like at himself.

"Sasuke, we should have told you about Gaara a while ago," Neji stated, finally ending the uncomfortable silence between the three of us. He leaned forwards so he could see Sasuke's face. The Uchiha 'hmphed' and turned his head to stare out the window. If it had been less of a serious setting, I would have laughed at Sasuke's immature action. I had seen Sasuke pout before…but it wasn't as noticeable as this.

"Sasuke-san…" I began, but bit my lip, hoping Sasuke would at least give me a signal that he had heard me. "Gomen nasai." _Sorry…I've done nothing wrong, but what else can I do except apologize for Gaara?_ I sighed internally, praying that Sasuke would soon start up the car, since I knew that my father was worried sick. He thought I was weak-so did Neji…they both saw me as good for nothing. _One day, I'll prove my worth to him…to both of them. _I couldn't help but stare at my cousin. So many girls wondered how I could stand being so close to a "god" (their words, not mine), but not be able to _do_ anything. Every time they asked, I laughed inwardly, answering the question truthfully in my thoughts-_I can't stand it. _ I knew Neji better than anyone, and I knew that-if it wasn't for the _small_ fact that our fathers were brothers…that, and I was so shy-I'd be clinging to him like every other girl. I tried to hide-to forget my unnatural feelings for my cousin and every time I looked at him, my love for him only seemed to grow. I knew he loved me more than anyone else-_isn't that what family is for?_-but I could see it in his eyes, his movements, and in the way he spoke to me with caring words no one else had the pleasure to hear…I was his precious cousin…more like a sister to him than anything. _And how could he love a 'sister'…especially someone like me…I'm not pretty like other girls, I'm not exceptionally smart or gifted, I can't fight like him. Why would he ever think I'm something more than his little Hinata-sama? I'm just his cousin…_

"How long have you been hiding it from me?" Sasuke's voice pulled me from my increasingly depressing thoughts. I looked over at him and my heart only felt more pain when I saw the crushed look on his face-as if he had no reason left for life. If I didn't know him almost as well as Neji and Gaara, I would have thought that Gaara had just broken his heart, but it was something much worse. _Gaara and Neji betrayed him. He trusted them the most out of anyone he knows and they hid something from him…no wonder he looks so sad._ I bit my lip, looking down at my lap, wishing that Neji would answer him. Glancing up at Sasuke when I heard the Uchiha sigh, I noticed that he turned his head so he could rest his forehead on the steering wheel and look down at the floor. "How long?" he asked again, this time, his voice so soft, I could hardly hear it over my own breathing.

Being able to read people was an odd ability of my family so I cringed when I saw his hands quickly grip the steering wheel, turning his knuckles white. I could tell Neji also knew what was coming. "KUSO, HOW LONG!" I had never heard Sasuke raise his voice before and, from the quick look at Neji's hurt expression, I could tell he had never gotten Sasuke to yell at him before.

"Years. Ever since the incident," Neji replied, his voice almost as soft as Sasuke's had been only moments ago. _Incident?_ I glanced at Neji and could tell from a returned look that he would explain later. Sasuke made a soft 'pft' sound, then reached to his keys and started the car.

The vehicle roared to life as Neji's comment was drowned out by the noise-from Sasuke's hearing, but not from mine. I looked down at the floor of the car, rethinking Neji's pained words. _'He didn't want you to hate him…'_

/\\

OC POV (A/N: this part's just to introduce someone…and add a lil' humor…)

"UCHIHA-SAN!" Iruka had finally had it-standing over Sasuke for nearly five minutes and calling to the stuck-up bastard had finally made him snap. Sasuke continued to stare off into space, not noticing our enraged teacher and the rest of the class was staring at him. The vein popping out of Iruka's forehead was quite amusing, since the only other time our class saw that particular blood vessel was when he was screaming at one person in particular-Aoi-AKA, the class clown. I smiled happily when I saw Sasuke look in my direction for a moment, but then his eyes shifted to Iruka. As soon as those black eyes had left me, I returned to glaring at the bastard. Scanning over our teacher, he raised an eyebrow. "Don't fall asleep in my class again, Uchiha-san."

Sasuke glared at him for a moment, finally turning his head and mumbling a soft 'che.' I didn't know why, but every time I looked at the boy, every time I heard his voice, I felt like I should strangle him. Where he got off 'che-ing' at Iruka, I growled, surprising the students around me. A few turned to look at me in surprise, so I quickly plastered on a fake smile-as if nothing had happened. He was unnaturally handsome, I'd give that to him, but he was a cold-hearted bastard, and I still wanted to wring his neck. Imagining myself shaking the Uchiha by the neck, I glanced down at my paper, happily smiling-for once, my smile was genuine. That image was so lovely, I felt better than I had when I woke up this morning next to my gorgeous boyfriend. _Heh…wait 'til I get home…_I smirked to myself, staring at the piece of paper for a moment, the small wheels in my head slowly being put into motion. I sighed, noticing that not a single answer space had been filled out-not even where my name went-and, with a quick glance at the classroom's small clock, I only had a minute to finish. _All because of that damn bastard…I couldn't finish my test!_ I, now fueled with a new urge to kill the bastard, allowed myself to internally scream. _Iruka's gonna kill me! He said that if I passed this test, he'd let me do make up work…but I'll never pass it! It's all that prick's fault…if I wasn't thinking of ways to kill him, I'd sooooo have been done with this half an hour ago! _I glared at Sasuke, then thought up of an idea.

"Iruka-sensei!" I cried, knowing that, if I really tried and used all of my charms on our teacher, I could make him forget about the test, at least for a few more hours.

"What is it _now_?" Iruka asked, his patience obviously growing thin as his gaze traveled from Sasuke, across the room, and finally focusing on me in the back of the room. "I thought I said no talking…"

Putting on the best "wounded puppy" look I could muster-I'll have to thank Kiba and Akamaru for that later-I stared at Iruka, blinking through misty eyes. "Anou…anou…wa-watashi wa…" _What could _really_ piss Iruka off?_ I wondered to myself, laughing inwardly when I thought of my best prank yet. "I forgot to tell you before…" I got out of my seat as gracefully as the bench would allow me and, by doing so, gained the attention of the entire class. I could see the evil smirk of Kiba's face as he watched me begin sauntering up to Iruka. I knew that he, like myself, had no hopes of passing the test, thereby not getting his make-up work either, so he probably had some idea what I was planning.

_Heh…beat this, sensei_, I thought to myself as I walked up to our teacher as elegantly as I could. Only five more feet before I would be in position for Mission: First Prank On Iruka Today. I was now only four feet away and I could almost hear Kiba's oncoming hysterical laughter. _Wait for it…wait for it…_I chanted inwardly, now only three feet away from my intended target. Almost there, I began my best stunt yet. "I forgot to tell you before, Sensei…" At that moment, as fate would have it, I tripped over something (most likely my own feet, but I would never admit that to anyone). I felt warm hands grab me, my 'savior' falling onto the floor with me. He was obviously surprised, guessing from the fact that he had _fallen_ to catch me, but his surprise was nothing next to mine when I looked up and saw Iruka glancing down at me worriedly.

_Mate…Iruka's up there…so who am I…_my eye nearly twitched as I glanced down at the warm body I was straddling. I could feel strong, warm hands on me-I quickly located one on my upper thigh, the other on my behind-as I took in the dark features of my personal cushion. Black hair, black eyes…dark aura…killer intent…and a blush? I stared in wonder as his eyes met mine, the features suddenly clicking into place. His eyes still captivated me, so I continued to stare, unable to believe that _my_ heart just started beating faster. _WHAT THE HELL!_ I forced myself to break our staring contest, thereby breaking the spell he had put over me. I quickly remembered where those hands were.

"HENTAI!" I screamed, slapping my savior in his prissy face. The loud crack of my hand on his perfect skin made even myself wince. I didn't hit him hard, but-from the glares I was getting-I knew I was going to die soon. Sakura and Ino scared me sometimes…but the looks I was getting from them at this moment made my body freeze. _Sa…suke…caught me…under me…groping me…hit him…death shall not be swift…_I theorized in my irrational mind as I slowly got off of the boy, gulping. Even Iruka couldn't hide the sweat drop sliding down the side of his face when he realized what I had just done…and who had seen it.

Sasuke, still on the floor, slowly sat up, glaring at me with that killer intent I just sensed. It was almost as bad as his fan girls', but nothing could beat them at this moment. He raised his hand to the pink cheek and touched it gently.

_Uh…oh…_I thought to myself, glancing up at Iruka, hoping that our teacher might be kind to me for once and help me. My eyes pleaded with him to protect me, but he only twitched-that lovely vein coming back with a vengeance-as he turned back to go to his desk.

My body, finally able to move again, received the frantic messages to run from my brain, so I shot out of the room like a bat out of hell. I was so out of it, I didn't notice I had bumped into Shikamaru as I flew down the hallways. I guessed, knowing the Nara, he had finally gotten into school and it was already lunch time. _Lazy bum_, I thought to myself, continuing my sprint down the hallways, reviewing the events that just occurred in my biology class. (A/N: yesh, Iruka teaches Bio…I couldn't think of a better class for him…)

_I tripped and for some odd reason, Sasuke caught me. We fell down-him under me. His hands somehow landed on me and I slapped him, calling him a pervert and I ran out of class. What else could go wrong today?_ I wondered to myself, sighing in defeat when I remembered that I had left my books and bag in the classroom. _Kuso…today's just not my day…_I thought to myself, glancing at my surroundings. I realized that I had wandered outside of the massive school and was facing a huge sculpture the art class had made years ago. It was a continuing project-one that had started when the school was founded. A tradition of sorts, I guess. I stared at the familiar faces that had been carved into the massive piece of rock. The first two faces and last I had never seen in person-the first being the school's founder and the second one of the school's past teachers. The middle one was a sculpture of the head of the current principal-the old bastard was going to have a field day with what I just did. The fourth one was of another man-a teacher I had never met, but everyone said that he died sixteen years ago, but I couldn't remember why.

The piece of artwork was amazing, something I had always dreamed of having my face carved into. _To be acknowledged as the best teacher of that generation…one day…they'll have to acknowledge me,_ I thought to myself, smiling at the face of our principal. _Even you, old man._

I sighed, letting my body lean against a wall I was close to. I slid down the wall and sat down, glancing down at my hands. _But how can I ever be the best? I'm failing all of my classes…and I can't do anything right…I passed the entrance exams with flying colors and I still can't keep up with these classes. Even Kiba's doing better than me…Shikamaru, for the three times he comes in a week is passing every class. Why can't I be like them? _I, now thoroughly depressed, closed my eyes and pulled my legs up to my chest. It was cold outside, but I didn't care at the moment. All I was focusing on was forcing myself to stop-stop sniffling, stop letting tears well up in my eyes and slide down my face…to stop being an idiot who could never achieve their dreams. _Wanting something badly enough…you said that would be enough to let me succeed, Iruka…but…I can't…_

I sobbed softly, praying that no one would be coming outside on this cold day to eat their lunch.

/\\

Sasuke's POV

"We are soooo sorry about that, Sasuke-kun. Don't worry, we'll make sure she never annoys you again," Sakura stated, her voice almost frightening in its serious tone (A/N: Sakura's one of those crazy bitches who _would _kill someone out of jealousy…I don't like her that much, if you can't guess…). She used my moment of 'obliviousness' to move herself next to me. It wasn't that I was oblivious, it was that I was still stunned. Frozen would have been a better term. _Who…was that?_ I wondered to myself, my hand still resting on my stinging cheek. Those eyes had hypnotized me for the few moments that they had landed on me. I had never seen such eyes before-filled with so much sorrow, but at the same time, hatred directed only at me. _What did I do to her? _I wondered to myself, slowly getting up from my seat when I heard the bell ring.

I couldn't believe how quickly people flew out of the room as I slowly put my books back in a neat pile. I heard one voice over the others, one I recognized as the obnoxious Kiba.

"See ya later, Sensei!"

"I'll see you in study hall, Ki…ba…" I watched in interest as Iruka froze for a moment, obviously thinking about something, then he snapped, his eyebrow twitching furiously. "MATE! YOU HAVE LUNCH DETENTION TODAY!" I watched as Kiba merely sprinted faster to the door, laughing, when he heard Iruka's voice.

When Iruka had finally stopped screaming after Kiba, I noticed that Sakura had been trying to ask me, nervously, if I wanted to eat lunch with her. I politely rejected her-_why_ she was so persistent, I'd never know-and walked towards the back of the room where I had left my bag in a small cubby. (A/N: in most Japanese schools, they have cubbies in the room instead of lockers…and I mixed the 'American' school with a Japanese one for their school (Konoha High if you people wonder later on) just to explain why they have lockers outside the rooms)

I slowly began my descent back down the rows of benches and desks when I noticed that a certain pile of books and an orange backpack were left next to an empty chair in the back row. Quickly glancing around the room, I noticed that Iruka was the only other living thing in the room and he had, thankfully, calmed down and currently seemed preoccupied with picking up the tests he had handed out. I knew I passed-it was such an easy test, I wondered if this was the right class for me to be taking. _Too bad I have to take Biology…_I thought to myself, internally deciding it was okay to pick up the extra things. I knew it wouldn't harm my 'rep,' if Iruka saw my actions-it wouldn't have mattered at this moment anyways. The entire class just saw how I had dove to catch that girl from falling flat on her face. _Gentleman…behavior…involuntarily,_ I knew it was bad when I started thinking in fragments, so I quickly took a deep breath, picking up the girl's pile of books and slinging her backpack on my shoulder where it rested comfortably next to mine.

"Try outside," Iruka commented as he finally reached the row of desks I was currently standing in. I glanced over at him questioningly. "She's probably outside, if you wanted to return her books."

"…thanks…" I mumbled, quickly passing Iruka. I could see the smile on his face out of the corner of my eye as I walked out of the room.

"Don't try to annoy her anymore…she hit you lightly this time," Iruka called after me as I let the door close behind myself. _LIGHTLY?_ I wondered in surprise, wincing as I touched my cheek again. I already knew it was going to leave a lovely bruise later, but I guess I deserved it. I _did_ have my hands on two inappropriate places, but it was unintentional. I had even _blushed_ when I realized where exactly my hands were, but, as I walked down the hallways to my locker, I remembered how the girl's body had felt. _She's really muscular…even though she didn't look it._ I thought to myself, remembering how surprised I was to discover she was much heavier than I had anticipated…the reason I had fallen out of my chair trying to catch her. Her leg and behind were also absent of all the soft flesh I assumed a girl usually had-on the contrary, her body was probably harder than mine was and I trained with a passion!

_Why am I thinking about her?_ I wondered to myself, realizing that I had been thinking about the strange girl the entire time it took me to reach my locker, unconsciously open it, and switch the books I had in my backpack. I was about to go to the cafeteria when I remembered-with the help of a few odd glances at the orange backpack next to mine-what I was going to do.

I ignored the various looks in my direction as I wove through the crowds-all of which were going in the opposite direction-and sighed inwardly in relief when I finally found my way outside the mob of teens. I continued my journey across the school's now deserted hallways. It was creepy that the hallways could be so barren of life when I had nearly been run over only moments before.

I, being bored with just thinking about various school-related topics, glanced at the walls as I continued to walk towards the main entrance of the school. There were a lot of different posters on the walls, all advertising different clubs and teams the school had. I had never realized that the school had clubs and sports teams, let alone all different kinds of strange ones that made me shiver when thinking about them. There was even a 'bishounen' club and I froze when I saw a certain poster…one that held my name on it. Those words…made me twitch. _Sasuke fan club?….I've only been here a month…_I shivered, wondering what on earth they did at these meetings, but I didn't really want to know.

My mind was filled with thoughts of my 'fan club' until I finally reached the large glass doors of the entrance. Pushing one of the doors open, I shivered in fear of that particular club. _Please don't say they're going to take candid pictures…_I prayed silently to myself, glancing around for the girl who I had offended…and still bore the mark.

"You're going to freeze out here in that," a high-pitched voice stated. It seemed to come from my far left, so I surveyed the area to my left, immediately noticing the large stone monuments that the girl was sitting nearby.

I got a good look at her, immediately wondering if this was actually a _girl_ and figured out why I hadn't noticed her before. She was wearing a boy's uniform-which was quite baggy on her- and I could see a crystal necklace nearly hidden underneath the halfway buttoned green jacket.

"What about you?" I retorted, walking towards the girl. She had nothing really stunning about herself-no wonder I didn't notice her before-except for those almost unnaturally blue eyes, which were currently being hidden under long blonde bangs. The rest of the girl's flaxen hair was tied up into two pigtails, which I noticed were touching the ground they were so long.

"I don't mind the cold," she replied, pulling her legs closer to her body and resting her head into her knees, making it now impossible for me to see her face. I raised an eyebrow, noticing a very distinct shiver underneath the baggy outfit she was wearing. I wondered momentarily how she got away wearing a boy's uniform, but just shook my head, not wanting to pry into the girl's business. Reaching the girl, I leaned against the same wall she was in front of and looked down at her. I was trying to judge how tall she was-more specifically if she was taller than I was-when I noticed her body shake again.

I wondered for a moment why I wasn't feeling the cold air, then realized that in my daze, I had put on my jacket. It was my favorite one; dark blue with a high collar and a white and red fan design on the back-my family's symbol. I sighed inwardly, yet again cursing my polite ways as I pushed away from the wall and slid the backpacks off my shoulder, setting them down next to the girl and unzipping my jacket. I pulled the warm article of clothing off, immediately feeling the freezing December air and almost putting it back on. _The first day of December usually isn't this cold…_

I was surprised for a moment that, even though there wasn't any snow on the ground yet, it was cold enough for me to see my own breath. Gritting my teeth, I placed _my_ jacket over the girl's shaking shoulders. Her body seemed to freeze as soon as my coat had touched her and I watched as her head sunk even lower into her chest.

"Gomen…" she whispered softly. Even though it was muffled by her body and my jacket, I could hear her voice cracked-as if she was…crying. _Shimatta…_I sighed, squatting down to look at the girl's face-or the parts that weren't being hidden by her body. In the end, all I could see was her small nose, which was already turning red from either the cold or, if she was, crying.

"For?" I asked, praying that the girl wasn't one of the members in my fan club. It would only make their day to know I did actually have a kind side. _Iie…that look she gave me before…she hates me…_I thought to myself, wondering how the girl had changed from a slapping bitch to a little girl with a runny nose.

"Hitting you. I should've thanked you for attempting to catch me…" she mumbled, her voice even softer than it was a few moments ago. I studied her for a moment, or what I could see of her, and decided that this could be one person I could-maybe-get to know better. _Attempting? I did catch her…_I forced myself not to point that little fact out, since it would probably get her even more emotional-and that was the last thing I wanted, so I opted for something that might calm her down a little.

"What's your name?" I asked, almost sighing. I hoped inwardly this wasn't going to end up being one big mistake. I had an odd feeling about this girl, but I couldn't stand listening to her sniffling which could have been caused by two reasons-and I was praying it wasn't because she was still crying. I hated crying people…they were weak.

I could tell she was surprised at my question when she glanced at me from underneath her arm. I wanted to hit myself when I saw her watery blue eyes. I noticed that she was one of those people who could cry without getting bloodshot eyes and I inwardly wondered why she was crying. _Please let it not be me…_I thought to myself, unable to stand when I made others cry. That might have been one of the reasons I had always rejected the girls…since the rest would cry when they heard I had a girlfriend. I theorized it was better to have one at a time cry than _all_ of them at once.

"Aoi…" she whispered softly, returning her face to its hiding place. I sighed again, inwardly of course, and looked up at the sky. There were no clouds in the sky, so it was a beautiful shade of blue, a color I had never seen the sky be before, which gave me an odd thought. _It's the same color as her eyes…_

"Gomen, Aoi…I shouldn't have…" I looked away, for some reason feeling embarrassed all of a sudden. I could feel her gaze on me, which made me even more uncomfortable. "I shouldn't have touched you…"

I heard an almost inaudible chuckle come from the girl as she unburied her head from her chest and looked at me. "E-ro-ya-ro…" she said slowly, stressing every syllable. I felt my eyebrow twitch as I turned to look at her. _She's an evil bitch just like the rest…_I thought to myself, then I got a good look at her face.

Her eyes were curved upwards, no longer being hidden by her bangs, and I could see a row of perfect teeth that her smile was showing off. She also had round cheeks and soft-looking, pink lips, both of which gave a look of absolute innocence, but I could almost image a pair of horns on the top of her head. _Evil…bitch…_I repeated to myself, trying to force myself to remember she was the reason my face was still aching.

"Urusai…" I stated coldly, getting another look from her-this time she was glaring at me through squinted eyes (A/N: you know…the usual 'Naruto' face) and had an adorable pout on her face. _Hold it…adorable?_ I wondered to myself, snorting and looking away from the girl, thinking of something that would probably get another expression out of her. "Ba-ka."

That adorable face lost its charm when I saw a vein pop out on the side of her head and watched as one of her hands turned into a fist. "What did you call me?" she asked calmly-I wouldn't admit it to anyone, but that voice scared me slightly. I smirked, inwardly remembering that Iruka told me not to annoy her anymore, and shivered.

"Baka…" I replied, slowly standing back up when I realized my legs were starting to cramp. _Heh…she won't be able to hit me now…_I thought to myself, getting ready for the girl to attack me. As I expected, she quickly got up and threw a punch-directed at my face. I easily dodged and called her 'baka' a third time. This only seemed to fuel her anger as she quickly changed her stance-now I almost wanted to apologize. _She knows taijutsu?_ I almost cried happily when I realized this. I finally found a sparring partner! I was so elated for a moment, I missed her sudden movement. _She…disappeared?_ I noticed a movement to my right and as I turned, I brought my arm up to the side of my face, just in time to block a kick aimed for my head. _She could kill me if she hit me with such strength!_ I thought to myself, surprised to feel my body fly backwards into the wall behind us from the sheer force of her kick.

Her agility _had_ to have rivaled Neji's, if not surpass his completely. I was amazed at Aoi's speed as she flew at me again. Each kick, each punch…all I could do was block the girl's violent attacks on more vulnerable parts of my body. I was able to stop her from landing any harmful blows that would leave me with major damage, but as our sparring session continued, my legs and arms truly began to _hurt_. With each blow she delivered, I could also see that Aoi was becoming tired. Inwardly, I decided she looked…good. Even with sweat pouring down her face, a pink nose from the cold, and hatred in her eyes, she held a natural beauty I had never seen in a girl before.

"AOI! WHAT DO YOU THINK YOU'RE DOING!" A voice made Aoi freeze in mid-kick and turn, her entire body shivering and her face plastered with a smile, at a teacher behind her. I watched as the brunette stormed up to her, glaring at both of us with intense anger.

"Eh….yo…I…Iruka-sensei…" Aoi replied softly, giving Iruka an innocent smile, with big, watery eyes. Iruka, obviously used to this, twitched and glanced over at me. "Sasuke-kuuun and I were just playing…right, Sasuke-kun?" Aoi turned to look at me, her eyes telling me that if I didn't agree, not even Iruka could stop her from attacking me again. I was too tired to fight back or block if she was to come at me again, so I sighed and nodded my head.

"DON'T 'YO' ME! YOU AREN'T ALLOWED TO FIGHT OTHERS, HOW MANY TIMES MUST I TELL YOU THAT? Oh, and I told you not to aggravate her more, Sasuke-kun," Iruka stated, the painful looking vein in his head receding when he had turned to look at me and calmly comment on my actions. _Can we call him bipolar?_ I wondered, amazed with Iruka's sudden change of character.

"Demo…demo…he started it…" Aoi said softly, glomping Iruka with enough force to make our teacher step backwards. She buried her head into his chest, clinging to his shirt. I could hear sniffles and sobs coming from the girl and, looking at Iruka's face, I sighed. _What happened to the 'we were only playing' excuse?_

Iruka looked down at Aoi's blonde head for a moment, then up at me, and back down at her. He raised a shaking fist as he closed his eyes, that famous blood vessel returning, and he quickly brought his fist down onto Aoi's head. She cried 'itai,' clutching her head in-mock?-pain. I couldn't tell if she was faking it, since Iruka had hit her hard enough for the 'bam' of his fist connecting with her head to echo for a moment, but she seemed like the type that could take a hit.

"You…didn't finish you test…you didn't even answer a single question on it…" Iruka stated, that teacher-like calm returning. I watched as Aoi, over the punch Iruka had delivered, smiled up at our teacher and chuckled.

"…I…was busy?" she said questioningly. _If she's going to make excuses, they have to be more convincing than that…_I thought to myself, wondering what exactly Aoi was trying to do, besides annoy Iruka even more.

"I told you…" Iruka sighed, looking defeated, when Aoi gave him a hopeful look. "Iie, I told you that if you didn't pass the test, no extra credit work for you…why do you and Kiba have to be the only people with such problems?" Iruka sighed again, looking down at Aoi.

"Because you love me so?" Aoi suggested, only making Iruka hit the girl in the head a second time. "You have some major abuse issues, Iruka-sensei."

"What am I going to do with you Aoi? If the Sandaime hears you got into another fight, you're going to be expelled…and you hitting Sasuke in class today doesn't help you much…" Iruka looked up to the sky, as if he was praying. I thought he probably was praying for someone to take Aoi away.

_Expelled? How many fights has she gotten into?_ I wondered to myself watching as the girl's shoulders slumped and she lowered her head. _If I get in trouble for this…my parents will have a field day and make me come back home…great…_I sighed inwardly, wishing that I wouldn't have come outside in the first place.

"If you two promise not to fight each other…or anyone else…" That little part was directed at Aoi, who flinched when Iruka's gaze landed on her, then returned to me. "I won't report this to the Sandaime…and I have a little project for the two of you…"

"Project?" Aoi looked back up at our sensei hopefully. I slowly walked over to him, eyeing the brunette suspiciously. I had learned that adults always had ulterior motives and Iruka's sudden 'idea' was suspicious.

"Hai, project. I want you two to work together. Sasuke, you are going to be Aoi's tutor for the next two months-until the end of the marking period. If you can get her to pass all of her classes, then you two will not get in any trouble."

"HONTO! ARIGATOU, IRUKA-SENSEI!" Aoi promptly launched herself at Iruka, laughing happily. _Tutor…her? Has the man lost his mind?_ I wondered to myself, about ready to protest-I would rather go back home than have to deal with her for two months-when Iruka cleared his throat, trying (but failing very badly) to look dignified as Aoi clung to his chest, her legs wrapped around his waist.

"That means you _have_ to pass all of your classes, Aoi," Iruka pointed out, which made the girl's expression of joy falter. A soft 'eh' out of Aoi made Iruka continue, "I said, if you don't pass all of your classes, then both of you will be reported…and the Sandaime is already mad at you for defacing the statues the other day…he doesn't want to hear you did something else, Aoi."

_Defacing the statues? _I wondered to myself, glancing at the carved rock nearby. I could see, however faint, that there was a bit of paint on the faces. _**She** painted the statues?_ I looked back at Aoi in amazement. I then remembered that everyone was in an uproar the other day-something about statues and paint, I remembered faintly. I had taken a look at the statues as I walked out to my car at the end of that day, surprised to see that the statues were covered in graffiti and someone was tied to a system of pulleys trying to scrub the paint off.

Glancing down at Aoi's hands, I noticed for the first time that they were heavily bandaged. _She scrubbed the entire thing herself? _I was now impressed with the girl. It had been below freezing that day, I remembered, and the girl had probably, guessing from her behavior today, had scrubbed the entire thing without thinking to put a jacket on. One thought I had surprised me enough to forget about protesting Iruka's conditions for a moment. _It had to take hours…she was out in the cold for hours?_

"I got almost all of the paint off!" Aoi retorted, glaring at Iruka out her squinting eyes.

"Aoi…I have another condition for you. No more pranks, got it?" Iruka looked down at her for a moment. "If I have to hear the rest of the teachers yell at me for your behavior one more time, I will have you expelled."

"But…Iruk-" A glare from Iruka shut Aoi up in the middle of her protest. She glanced back at me and smiled. "Well…when shall we start the tutoring?"

"…" I stared at her in amazement. She was actually _agreeing_ to these absurd terms, but, thinking about it, being expelled is quite harsh. _She must have done a lot to get in this much trouble with the school system…_I thought to myself, sighing. _It can't be that hard to tutor? Can it?_

"You two better go eat lunch before the period is over," Iruka stated as he turned to leave. I watched as the teacher returned to the school. I noticed the sadistic bastard had an extra lightness to his step. _Well, he just solved all his problems in one shot…_I glanced over at Aoi, who had walked back to the wall where our things were and picked up my jacket.

"What period do you have free?" I asked as I looked at my beloved jacket. It was covered in dirt and, if I still wasn't in a daze from what just happened, I would have blown up. Aoi looked up at me in surprise. She glanced around the grounds, mumbling 'after lunch.' I watched as she picked her books and our backpacks up, handing me mine and slinging that horrible orange thing over a shoulder. _I have the same period free…I've never seen her in my study hall. _I knew I wouldn't have missed seeing her in that class since our study hall teacher-who happened to be Iruka as well-always had a list of people who came to class that day up on the board-and I could distinctly remember Aoi's name wasn't written on it.

"I usually don't go," Aoi explained as she waited for me to begin walking back to the entrance. I was inwardly smirking-now knowing she was shorter than myself-and was surprised that she quickly fell into step with me. _She has long legs…_I commented inwardly, glancing over at the blonde, silently asking her to explain. "I have a club practice that period."

"Club?"

"Un…Drama," Aoi's face brightened as she answered me. "We're practicing for a play next month. We haven't picked roles yet, since we still have to find someone who wants to be the male lead…but no one in our club wants to kiss anyone else…so no one's going to try out. Gai's about ready to kill himself…" Aoi sighed, glancing over at me. "You should come watch…it's really interesting…"

_Drama? Huh…she can act, memorize lines and everything, but is horrible in school…_I thought to myself, wondering if there could be a way to teach the girl who was failing a few classes. "How many classes _are_ you failing?"

Aoi glanced at me curiously, then lowered her head as she opened the glass door and walked back into our school. She mumbled something and looked away. "What?" I didn't hear her clearly, but it kind of sounded like she said 'all.'

"All of them…"

"…" I stared at the girl in awe. She couldn't possibly be serious…how could she be in a club if she was failing everything? "You've got to be kidding…"

"Nope…I'm really bad in school. I really try…but what's the point anymore?" She glanced at me, smiling. I could tell from the look in her eyes that that smile was fake-she was lying. She really did want to do well, but how could I help her pass _every_ class she took!

"Do you have any other free time?" I asked, getting another curious look from Aoi. She smiled softly and nodded her head. I looked at her, waiting for a verbal answer. _Please don't say after school…that means she would have to come over to my house, or I go over to hers…I don't think I want to meet her family if they're as strange as she is…_I thought to myself.

"After school." I felt as if I had been smacked by her in the face again. _Why me?_ Obviously seeing my expression, she frantically flew her hands in the air, saying "I'll ask Gai if it's okay I miss practice for the next two months, no prob!"

"What about your play?" I asked, watching as Aoi glanced at the floor, a smile on her face.

"I wasn't going to play a lead role, I was probably going to be stuck backstage anyways," Aoi replied, smiling at me. I didn't know why, but I could tell she was forcing herself to smile.

"What's the name of the play?" I wondered aloud, glancing back at Aoi for a moment. She put her arms behind her head as we continued to walk, her eyebrows knitted in thought.

"Dunno, we didn't think of a name for it yet." I sweat dropped, hoping she was kidding. _How could they have a play with no title?_ "One of our actors wrote it and Gai insisted we do this one…even though it'll be hard for all of us…"

"Hard?" I repeated questioningly, wondering what kind of idiotic scriptwriter didn't think of a title for his own plays. _Probably someone like her…_I commented internally, watching as Aoi shifted the backpack on her shoulder.

"Yeah, it's more of an adult kind of play-heh, it's really romantic and…beautiful. Pretty much, a young lord falls in love with a princess…that kind of plot, y'know. He can't possibly tell her his feelings because he's low on the whole status level, but what makes it worse is that they are cousins, so throughout the entire play, he courts her anonymously, but towards the end of the play, she is betrothed to another prince and-" Aoi stopped to look at me. I must have been looking like I wasn't paying any attention to her, so I glanced at her, nodding for her to continue. "And he and this prince, who is equally in love with her, duke it out, our lord being the victor, but he killed the prince in their fight, so he's executed. The play ends with the princess admitting her love for him, after the execution, and she kills herself. That summary sucked, ne?"

_…that is almost creepy that it's kind of the situation Neji's in…without the whole 'prince and betrothal' part. _I looked over at Aoi, who was getting teary-eyed just thinking about the play. "Iie…who wrote it?"

"Oh, a guy a year above us," Aoi replied. _Neji's a year above us…please don't say it…please don't say Neji,_ I pleaded with myself, since I would have to make fun of him for this and we still weren't on a speaking basis and I didn't know what I would do with myself and this blackmailing information. "You probably wouldn't know him, but Hyuuga Neji. He's really weird, but okay I guess. Kind of into that whole 'fate is predetermined' thing." Aoi began doing an impression of Neji. The speech she made, with a surprisingly deep voice, had a great deal of 'fate this,' 'destiny that.' I couldn't help but smile at how far, and how close, she was to imitating Neji. I watched her in amusement as we finally reached the cafeteria, which was already beginning to empty.

Quickly putting my 'icy bastard' face, I followed Aoi to a table where there was no one else sitting. Sitting down, she sat her backpack down on the table and began rummaging through it for something. I watched her as I sat down across from her, surprised to see her pull out a thermos and pair of chopsticks.

Raising my eyebrow slightly, I watched as she opened the metal container and-completely forgetting her chopsticks-ate the soupy meal with gusto. _Ramen…_I shivered, remembering how much I couldn't stand the long noodles and broth, even though I hadn't had it since I was seven or so. Happy to have made my own lunch today, I pulled out my celery and onigiri. I knew it probably wasn't a normal thing to be eating at lunch, but I had a thing for celery-that and I didn't really know how to cook much, except rice, so onigiri it was.

"You need to eat more," Aoi commented, looking at my celery sticks with distain. She, I was guessing, wasn't much of a vegetable lover. "Maybe some meat…ne?"

"I'm a vegetarian," I replied, glaring at her. She ignored the glare-which I gave since it was a soft spot when people made fun of my eating habits-and smirked.

"A vegetarian…ha! That isn't healthy," Aoi said with a finality to her voice. I raised an eyebrow and stared at her. "You need to eat meat or else you won't get strong, like me!" She flexed an arm proudly and gave me another smile. I shivered when she stuck some of her ramen in my face. I watched the limp noodles slowly slide from her chopstick, nearly becoming sick from the smell of it. "It's pork, try it!"

"Iie." I bent back away from the horrid ramen and stared at it with a promise of death. (A/N: yes, he will kill the ramen) "If you put that near my face agai-" I nearly choked when she shoved her chopsticks into my mouth, forcing me to taste the grotesque noodles. They even had a disgusting texture, I realized as I spit them back out, glaring at Aoi-who was smiling oh-so innocently.

"Hehe…" Aoi, now realizing her mistake, sweated as she scratched the back of her head. "Gomen?" I sighed, slumping back in my chair to stare at her and eat my celery quickly, just to get that taste out of my mouth. "I'm really sorry, Sasuke…didn't mean to piss you off or anything…"

_She didn't mean to piss me off?_ I stared at the oblivious blonde in wonder. She had to be kidding. Either that, or she was just plain deaf, blind, and stupid. I glared at her for a moment, then looked up at the cafeteria's ceiling. "I'll watch your practice today." She stared at me in amazement as I bit into an onigiri, so happy to finally have the taste of ramen out of my mouth.

"Eh…HONTO? SUGOI!" Instantly I found myself with a hyperactive blonde hugging my chest, laughing. I looked up at the ceiling again, wondering what I did to get myself into this hell. I tried to pull her off me, but she clung to me. The last few people in the cafeteria, besides us, looked at the two of us and I could hear them whisper angrily. _More fan girls?_ I wondered, praying the girl would let go soon. Eventually, when I heard the bell begin ringing, she finally did, sitting back from her seat on my lap and smiled. _Hold it…_I stared at her, realizing where exactly she was…and where exactly her hands were now resting. I stared down at her hands and the hidden crotch of my pants, then back up at her.

It was as if an atomic bomb went off in my mind…there was nothing left. All shreds of thoughts disappeared as I stared at her. She stared back at me with that blank look-her atom bombing must have been just as devastating, I theorized in my empty mind. All of a sudden, she flew off of my lay, again slapping me and calling me a pervert-I'm starting to see a pattern here-and flew to her side of the table.

"I'm a pervert?" I asked, realizing this time she hit the other cheek. I knew this one was going to be a matching bruise tomorrow. I glanced at her, noticing she was quickly putting her things into her backpack, her face bright red.

"…heh…sorry about that, again," Aoi replied, smiling sheepishly at me. _She's really kind of creepy…_I thought to myself as I watched her sling her backpack over her shoulder. "We better hurry, Gai hates it when I'm late!" With that, she grabbed my arm and dragged me out of the cafeteria.

/\\

(Still Sasuke's POV)

After quickly telling Iruka where she was taking me (more like kidnapping), Aoi pulled me down a maze of hallways I hadn't been in before, since I had no reason to. Finally stopping in front of a pair of sliding doors, Aoi smiled at me and opened them, letting me walk in first.

Instantly, I noticed all of the eyes in the room were on us-all together twelve pairs of eyes. I recognized most of them immediately as classmates-Sakura and Ino stared at me hungrily (shiver shiver), Kiba, Shino, and Choji glanced up at me, then back down at stacks of papers in their hands (I wondered why there was a dog here for a moment, then remembered that it was always with the unusual boy as Akamaru barked at me once), Shikamaru didn't even bother to look up from his sprawled position on the large, wooden stage, and Hinata waved shyly at me. I looked at the three older teens, getting a 'what are you doing here' look from Neji, an interested glance from the girl next to him with her black hair pulled up into two buns, and the final teen in the room looked so much like what I assumed was _Gai_, I shivered even more than from Ino's and Sakura's looks. The two, both identical outfits, same hair cut, looked like they could be related. The strangest thing about the boy were those eyebrows…they were almost as hypnotic as Aoi's eyes-but for entirely opposite reasons.

"Ah, the flower of youth has finally arrived and brought someone new!" The green _thing_ known as Gai gave such a creepy grin and thumbs up, I almost left the room, but Aoi's grip on my arm stopped me-not that I wasn't trying to let her make me go-as we walked down an aisle. I was surprised to see how many chairs were in the room, considering I hadn't even heard anything about a drama club before. I nearly froze when I saw there was a balcony looking over the twenty rows of thirty chairs (I quickly counted the number of chairs in each of the three sections). Looking at the balcony, I could see that there were almost as many chairs up there as down on this floor. _Do they get this many people to come to a play?_ I wondered for a moment before I heard Hinata say a soft 'hi.'

"What are you doing here, Sasuke-kun?" Sakura asked, a blush on her face, as she slid off of the stage. Aoi smirked and finally let me go. As soon as she had released her grip on my arm, she leapt onto the stage and hit Kiba in the head, yelling something about not helping her in her prank.

"The baka invited me to come," I replied, sitting down in the front row of chairs, which just happened to be right next to Neji. Sakura mumbled an 'oh' and, before she got a chance to annoy me further, was called back up onto the stage by a fuming Ino.

"So, you're Sasuke? Nice to meet you, I'm TenTen," the girl with the two buns said as she leaned across Neji to shake my hand. "That guy over there is Rock Lee." She pointed at the Gai-clone, who was trying to impress Sakura with a dramatic pose-I think-but only made the girl twitch.

"TenTen, could you help us for a sec?" Ino called, pointing at a dress that I had finally noticed her wearing. It was a very beautiful red silk kimono with bright blue flowers scattered down the arms and was tied with a yellow obi. While the color combination was odd, the overall outcome of the dress was amazing. Even though I could tell the dress wasn't meant for Ino-it didn't exactly fit around the chest and was too short-it was stunning.

TenTen quickly got up, sighing for a moment, and climbed onto the stage to help the other girls. "So, I hear you're a playwright," I commented with a slight bit of humor in my voice, glancing over at the Hyuuga. He let a small smirk cross his lips as he shook his head.

"I was hoping you wouldn't find out," Neji replied as he turned to look at me. "I guess you heard the plot from Aoi?" I nodded my head and watched as the girls began bickering about the dress's size. Ino obviously thought that she was the only person able to wear the dress. "I was planning to give the play to Hinata, but Gai got his hands on it…and said that we were going to do it before I could protest."

"Kaiwaii," I stated, smirking evilly at Neji. I could see him blush out of the corner of my eye. I thought for a moment, realizing this was the first time in about a month-since that incident-that we had spoken, and then discovered I was really lonely in that month without my best friends to talk to.

"Urusai," he mumbled, glaring at me. I sighed, softly saying 'gomen.' He obviously knew what I was apologizing for because he leaned back in his chair, glancing up at the bitch-fight-fest going on up on the stage and replied, "forget about it."

"Such youth! Listen, I have decided on the cast!" Gai exclaimed without warning. I could hear Kiba pointing out that they had no try outs yet, but the strange teacher ignored him, posing from his seat a few chairs away from Neji and myself.

"Who's the princess!" The three girls, forgetting their bickering, asked in unison. Even Shikamaru looked a little interested at their crazed teacher's decision.

"Aoi!" All eyes landed on the blonde, who was sitting next to Hinata with a script in her hands. Aoi blinked twice, wondering what we were staring at most likely, then leaned towards Hinata to listen to something the girl was saying.

Aoi blinked again, pointing at herself. "Me?" she squeaked, then glanced at Gai, who was doing that creepy smile he did. I wanted to hit the man next time he made his teeth shine like that, but I resisted the urge when I saw him do another pose. _He shall die…_

"The prince, Neji." Neji twitched ever so slightly as I smirked. Gai continued to list the other roles. I listened as much as I could, noticing that everyone in the room had at least one part-a few of them had three or four small roles. Even Akamaru had a part, I noticed by the time Gai had run out of air-and roles, hopefully.

"What about the lord?" Lee asked, looking over at the creepy teacher. He had gotten smaller roles, like servants and such, and he, like everyone else, wanted to know who would have to kiss Aoi. I could see Aoi shiver out of the corner of my eye when she realized it was going to be either Choji or Lee-they were the only ones with small enough roles that they could probably pull off the extra role. _I wouldn't want to kiss that either…_I thought to myself, shivering at the thought while feeling sorry for Aoi.

"Sasuke!" At the sound of my name coming from the teacher's lips, I forgot that I was a cold, emotionless guy who never raised his voice. Neji was nearly dying from laughter as he held his stomach, looking at my infuriated expression.

"NANI?" I exclaimed, my glare now directed at Gai. He grinned and gave me the thumbs up, striking a new pose. _This man can't be serious…_ "I'm not having any part in your play!"

"Of course the Green Beast of Konoha will have to give this youth acting lessons, so the play will be delayed for a few months!" Gai didn't even hear my response in his idiocy. _He's even worse than Aoi…_I commented inwardly, glancing over at Neji, who had somehow composed himself in those few seconds.

"You won't get him to rethink it now…and he isn't that bad of an actor," Neji stated, smirking. I wanted to forget we were close enough to be brothers for that moment and kill him-preferably something horribly long and painful, but Neji deserved better, so I would settle for quick, with as much pain as I could administer in that fast ending.

"I have to kiss Sasuke?" Aoi asked, her voice bringing everyone's gazes back to her. She glanced over at Hinata, who was smiling kindly at her, nodding her head. "I WON'T DO IT, YOU CREEPY EYEBROWED FREAK!" She flew up from her sitting position, pointing at Gai.

I could see Neji massaging his temples from the corner of my eye. Even in the little time I had gotten to know Aoi, I could tell she was stubborn…and her stubbornness was only a small part of the whole reason I found myself, ten minutes later, being measured by TenTen, and two furious fan girls. They agreed that either one of them should have gotten the princess role rather than Aoi.

/\\

Neji's POV

"I can't say this!" Sasuke exclaimed, looking back down at the script for a third time, just to make sure this is what I had written, then back up at me for an answer.

"What's so hard about it?" I asked, flipping through my own copy of the script. He let his body fall on my bed with a soft sigh. He glanced at me as I flipped over on the oversized hammock I had hung in my room only a few hours ago-one of the reasons he was here. I, somehow keeping my balance, read through his lines, for the first time realizing _why_ Sasuke was having such a problem. _Let me touch the pale night for the stars seem too out of reach. _I glanced further ahead, where Sasuke was supposed to be ending a soliloquy. _If it was to be that a man was destined to taste ecstasy, he would soon no longer yearn for the gentile touch of a lover. As the threads of life cannot be rewoven by these virgin fingers, let then me beg a skilled weaver to change what shall be. I know no such being, so let the gods themselves know this lost soul will take fate into its own unsure, trembling fingers. _I closed my eyes, knowing the next part of the play, only one word could possibly end such a powerful statement. _Dies. _I glanced back up at Sasuke, wondering what he was reading with such interest.

"I thought I was supposed to be executed," he commented, glancing up from his script, obviously reading the same lines as I had.

"Aoi didn't remember that, before he was executed, Yuki kills himself so that he wouldn't have to be killed by someone else," I replied, glancing back down at my script. The massive amount of lines spanning across over a hundred pages had brought tears to Hinata's eyes the first time she read it, but I was unsure if she had figured out what it was supposed to mean. _Five weeks since Sasuke joined the drama club…against his will, so nearly seven weeks since Hinata read the script,_ I thought to myself, glancing back up at Sasuke. "Just try saying it again."

Sasuke, glowering at me, repeating the same section I had just reread for what seemed to be like the five hundredth time in the past two hours. "You need to put feeling into it, Sasuke…this is supposed to be a powerful ending," I stated, sitting up on the hammock. It swayed gently as I got up from it and pulled Sasuke to his feet. "Try it again." This time, Sasuke did try putting more feeling into it, but he just didn't get the term 'unrequited love.' "You're supposed to be so depressed you commit suicide not…laughing?" I stared at him, noticing that upturn of his lips as he chuckled in a very un-Sasuke-ish way. "What now?"

"Aoi's over too, I'm guessing?" he asked as a cry erupted through the house, followed by a 'stand still!' _They're still working on her costume?_ I wondered as I nodded my head, realizing we weren't going to get any practice out until Sasuke could go make fun of Aoi's pain.

"The entire club's going to be coming over for a meeting later, but Aoi, TenTen, and the other girls came over to work on costumes," I replied, following as the Uchiha calmly walked through the halls, following the sound of Aoi's pained voice.

"THAT HURTS TENTEN!"

"HOLD STILL THEN!"

I sighed when we finally reached the open door to Hinata's large bedroom. Glancing in before entering, I noticed Aoi was being fitted for a new dress as TenTen and Ino were trying to pin the material in place-obviously pricking her a few times. Sakura was making sketches on a piece of paper from the other side of the room, probably adding details to a drawing of Aoi's unfinished dress, and Hinata was sitting on her massive featherbed, watching in amusement. I couldn't help but sigh when I saw that smile on her face. She was so cute sometimes, I wanted to just cuddle her! _NOT AGAIN!_ I thought to myself, wondering when all these little urges of mine would end. For the past two weeks, everyone was so busy starting to get ready for the play and midterms that I had hardly even seen Hinata except for practices, so I hadn't had to deal with my incestuous thoughts and images-but they came back with a vengeance.

"Prick her harder," Sasuke commented as he sat down on the bed next to Hinata to watch. Aoi shot him a deadly glare, then looked back down at the two girls quickly pinning the hem to her dress.

"Urusai, asshole!" she shot back, then looked at me. "Just say it and you die."

I knew Aoi well enough now to know that her tomboy appearance was due to preference-she hated anything and everything 'girly' and this new pink dress was the epitome of her hatred. I shook my head and sat on the other side of Hinata.

"Are you guys coming tonight?" Sakura wondered out loud, glancing up from her sketching to look at me and Sasuke. Sasuke only raised an eyebrow, wondering what we were talking about as I nodded my head.

"Where?" he asked, looking from Sakura to me.

"Masquerade…that club we went to a while ago," I replied, getting a nod in understanding from Sasuke. "They were having a party tonight for the employees and the entire club was invited."

"The entire club?" Sasuke repeated, probably wondering who, besides Sakura, worked at the unusual club.

"Hai, the owners and Gai are good friends, Kiba, Shikamaru, Sakura, Choji, Shino, and myself all work there too, and we asked the boss if it was okay for the rest of the club to come," Ino replied, smiling at Sasuke with a blush on her face.

I was surprised to hear nearly the entire drama club worked at the club, I only knew about Sakura, Ino, and Shino since I had seen all of them there…and Shino with such clothing on was…interesting.

"Oh," was all Sasuke could say as he glanced over at me. Hinata was playing with her fingers as she stared down at the floor, then up to Aoi.

"Are you going to be coming, Aoi-kun?" Hinata asked, getting everyone's attention, save mine, since it was already on her, directed towards the fuming blonde. Aoi, glaring down at the pink pieces of material surrounding her, didn't seem to hear Hinata until TenTen pricked her with a large pin.

"ITAI!" Aoi blinked, glancing over at Hinata. "Eh…no, I can't come tonight…got a lot of work that bastard gave me." She pointed at Sasuke, which almost made me smirk, since no one could see her hands under the unpinned pinkness. Her eyes began to water as she looked at Hinata for support. "He gave me _extra_ work! Nearly five times as much as Gai gave us!"

"Gai doesn't give us homework," Sakura pointed out, getting a glare from Aoi.

"He gives me an insane amount of make-up work every week!" Aoi retorted, beginning her daily pout. She stomped on her raised platform, repeating that she hated pink. TenTen, already used to this, merely began humming as she continued her work.

"It's not our fault you were failing so badly," Ino snapped, being unusually 'careless' with her pins as she fixed a stubborn part of the dress's shoulder.

"HEY THAT'S SKIN!" Aoi yelled, then glowered at Ino. "I'm not failing anymore, thank you very much!" Everyone froze at that comment, even Sasuke. "Nani?"

"You're…passing?" Sasuke asked, amazed at his own work. We all were surprised when Sasuke said he was Aoi's new tutor. Not even with all of my patience could I tutor her the one time I was assigned the task. After the first week, Aoi wanted to kill the Uchiha-having to deal with him every day after school and most likely Itachi nearly every day she went over to Sasuke's house. I remembered Sasuke telling me that Aoi didn't even know the basics of algebra, her English was horrible, and she had such problems with Japanese, he wondered how she could possibly speak. He had migraines for these past seven weeks, but the four hour meetings they had at Sasuke's house every day, even weekends, had finally showed promise. I wondered more than once _why_ Sasuke had taken such an unusual interest in Aoi's tutoring, since I knew he wasn't getting paid for it. When I asked him about it, he said it was a condition Iruka had set to make sure they weren't both kicked out of school. He didn't go into detail in what exactly they did, but I assumed it was fighting, since it seemed that was all they ever did.

_They can be so annoying sometimes…and how is it the play is going to be pulled off when the two stars, supposedly madly in love, hate each other?_ I sighed, glancing over at Hinata. _If only Hinata was the princess…but she's too shy for a lead role…_I sighed again, my gaze shifting to Aoi. She was pretty, even I had to admit that, and she was one of those people who could easily capture the attention of a large crowd-even though most of the time it was because she was an annoyance.

"I've got a passing grade even in Biology…Iruka gave me a progress report after school today…he was crying…" Aoi smirked, forgetting for a moment that she was in a pink dress. I watched as that proud smirk turned into a full smile-one that everyone in the room could tell wasn't one of her forced smiles just to make people think she was a smiling, bumbling idiot. She hardly smiled like that, but when she did, it felt as if every problem in the world was solved. Even Sasuke seemed more at ease when she smiled in that way. I had noticed she only got that smile when she was talking about certain people, one of them being Iruka, who everyone had been surprised to discover was the closest thing to a father Aoi had, and the other was her unnamed boyfriend-who everyone in the drama club wanted to meet.

I remembered when Aoi finally had told everyone she had a boyfriend, the first time I ever saw that smile of hers…it was only last week in practice.

_Flashback_

_"Hey, Aoi, why don't you wear the girl's uniform?" TenTen asked as she glanced up from the massive pile of material on her lap-one of the backdrops that we had found from an earlier play that could be used, but needed to be sewn in a few places._

_"Eh?" Aoi glanced over at TenTen from her 'sleeping' position on the stage. Gai, nearly crying-mumbling something about the curiosity of youth-called for a break. Sasuke, breathing a sigh of relief, sat down next to me on the far right of the stage._

_"You almost got to the kiss scene," I commented, smirking. Six weeks and they had yet to review that particular part, but everyone was starting to think that Aoi and Sasuke would just save it for opening night…there was a conspiracy going on._

_"…ha ha…" Sasuke retorted sarcastically, obviously listening for Aoi's answer. He, like everyone else in the club, wanted to know exactly why Aoi had worn the boy's uniform when it was obvious (every time she wore a dress for practice or fittings) she had a nice body._

_"I hate skirts," Aoi replied quickly, sitting up from the bed. TenTen told her she was lying, so she sighed and shifted her body so that she was laying on her stomach. "I guess I don't want guys to gawk at me…my boyfriend does it enough as it is…"_

_"BOYFRIEND!" Ino's and Sakura's attention was immediately caught with that particular word. And here those two were, assuring themselves Aoi was going to try and steal Sasuke away from them. _

_"H-hai…boyfriend…" Aoi answered, giving the two curious teenagers a confused look. "You didn't know I had a boyfriend?"  
_

_"Iie! So, what's he like?" Sakura asked, her hatred and jealousy of Aoi immediately gone when she realized she was no longer a threat. She flew up onto the bed next to Aoi and waited for an answer._

_Even from my seat nearly twenty feet away, I could see the blush on Aoi's face. "He's…quiet usually…very thoughtful, sympathetic…loving…err…"_

_"Is he handsome?" Ino asked, taking a seat on Aoi's other side. Aoi smiled, her eyes landing on thin air, as if she was imagining him. She sighed and nodded her head._

_"Beautiful…even better looking that that bastard," she replied, glancing over at Sasuke. _

_"NEVER!" TenTen-who we had all discovered, became a member of the Sasuke fan club after meeting him-sat at the foot of the bed, waiting for some gossip._

_"He is! He has a perfect body…" Aoi sighed, her face pink as she looked down at the bedspread. I glanced at Ino and Sakura, knowing what they were about to ask._

_"How far have you gone?" Sakura's personal question even piqued the attention of Shikamaru, who was quite content for the majority of practice to sleep in the rigging and lights over the stage. Gai, glancing over at the four girls, again began talking about youth, but I could easily tell he was curious._

_"…heh…" That little 'heh' made the girls squeal, which surprised Shikamaru so much, he fell out of his spot, landing on the bed with the girls, Gai fainted, Choji began choking, Kiba and Shino only stared in wonder, Lee let his mouth drop, and Hinata smiled innocently. I then realized Hinata knew that little piece of information this whole time. I glanced over at Sasuke, still silent from my surprise, and saw he was the only person who wasn't…surprised. He slowly got up and gave a look at Aoi that I could only describe as rejected. He turned to leave the stage but froze when he heard a question from the usually quiet Shino. _

_"Are you in love?" Sasuke, for a moment, looked back at Aoi , only to have 'salt rubbed in the wound' when Aoi, without missing a beat, answered him, with a radiating smile and such emotion in her voice, we all knew it to be true._

_"I love him more than anything else."_

_End Flashback_

That was the first time I realized Sasuke had had a thing for Aoi and he had never mentioned anything since then, so I assumed he was over his crush. _What he saw in her…I'll never know…_I thought to myself, wondering if it was in Sasuke's destiny to be with Aoi. _It couldn't be…she's already found her soul mate…_I thought to myself, glancing over at Sasuke. He had become even colder to everyone since that day, except for myself and Hinata, and, if possible, he became even more of an evil bastard towards Aoi. Now, I was sure that if Aoi was to be harmed in any way, it would be Sasuke doing it.

I knew I should feel sorry for Sasuke and in a way, I did, but how he was treating Aoi was inexcusable. I knew, like the rest of the drama club, that she had no family and her boyfriend was the only family, besides teachers like Iruka and the drama club, she had. I kind of felt happy for Aoi to be able to have someone to love and to be loved in return, which brought me back to my ongoing predicament.

"Congratulations, Aoi-kun," Hinata said, smiling in her oh-so adorable way. Aoi smiled back, thanking my cousin. I wanted nothing more, at that moment, than to glomp her, cooing. _That's a weird thought…_I thought to myself, glancing over at Sakura for a moment before getting up.

"It's almost time for the rest of the club to be arriving," I commented as I left the room, no longer trusting my self control, and began walking back down the stairs, praying that I would be able to tell Hinata my feelings after the play's premiere and that, in her eyes, it was good.

/\\

(A/N: hmm…should I continue? I think so…just a little more of this extremely long chappie//smiles/)

Sasuke's POV

"Interesting mask, Uchiha," Kiba commented, studying my mask through his dog-like half-mask. I 'hmphed' as I noticed Sakura had finally opened the bar. I made my way through the crowd, which was quite large considering this was just a party for employees and friends. Sitting down at one of the red barstools, I asked for a beer.

"I'm not letting you get smashed tonight, Sasuke-kun," Sakura commented from her spot behind the elongated table, then handed me a cold bottle. She had never seen me drunk, but I guess Hinata or someone told her not to let me drink too much-probably Neji, the evil bastard he was. I pulled my mask up to rest it on the top of my head and put the beer to my lips.

I had felt like drinking ever since I saw Aoi this afternoon at the Hyuuga mansion. She seemed so happy…but I really hadn't done anything to help her in school…only remind her what an idiot she was and that I would be glad when our two months were up. _Seven weeks…that means that we only have one week of tutoring left…almost three actually…_I thought inwardly, noticing that I almost didn't want those two months to be up. She was always interesting to have around the house-one reason Itachi had finally left me alone. I mentally cheered for the girl when I saw the short message he wrote, telling me he was going home to give me and 'my girlfriend' more time together.

The blonde had been elated the past few days, with the play's debut only a few weeks away, and we had yet to practice the entire play from beginning to end. For some reason, no one except myself was a little worried about that. Neji had told me they usually never get through a practice of the full play until dress rehearsal the day before opening. That made me even more nervous. It wasn't that I minded the whole 'kiss' thing, it was that I had discovered, as the date grew closer, I was starting to get stage fright. In our last practice, I had nearly fainted when I realized that a few other clubs had turned up to watch our practice. There were only about twenty people or so, most of them from our own class, but I still froze when I noticed them sitting in the back rows.

After that practice, Aoi had asked me what happened, but I wasn't going to tell _her_ of all people that I had acquired a new phobia. Gai had taken me aside later and told me that, to get rid of my stage fright, I would have to just stay calm and, with practice, I would get better. _TO HELL WITH HIM! That creepy guy doesn't have to stand up there and…have people look at him! _I sighed, knowing this fear was an irrational thing, that it was completely in _my_ head and no one else could really help me overcome it, but it still didn't help me.

I stared at the beer with slight interest, inwardly wondering why now, of all times, I had discovered I couldn't stand being in front of people. The entire club-everyone except Aoi-guessed what happened the other day and was praying that it was only a phase…one I would get through _very_ soon, but I knew that, for some reason, I had put myself into this position. _Fears are created due to personal events…but nothing really big has happened lately that would make me suddenly…nervous around crowds…_ I thought back, remembering that the biggest thing that had happened to me lately had been Gaara and my 'fight,' if it could have been called that. I knew I was homophobic, I couldn't stand the looks some guys gave me, but I always felt…comfortable around Gaara and even before that night, deep down, I knew that he wasn't straight, I just wasn't willing to admit it to myself. _Does that mean that I'm not a homophobe? _I wondered to myself, realizing I felt no hate towards Gaara for being what he was-it was just I had been pissed that night because he hadn't had the guts to tell me before.

"I thought you wouldn't come back," a familiar voice to my left stated as a red head sat down next to me. Gaara looked at me for a moment, probably noticing the depressed look on my face, then sighed. "Sorry about before…"

"Do you want me to forgive you?" I asked in a mocking tone, handing my beer to him. I let a smile pass over my lips-just fast enough for Gaara and no one else to see, then sighed. "So, how's your boyfriend?"

Gaara nearly spit the amber liquid back up, surprised I would ask. He smirked once he was able to swallow than shook his head. "Fine…how's your…fan club?" I looked at him, an obvious 'how did you know about that' stare on my face. "Neji and I _do _talk…Hinata drags him to the club all the time. He also told me about this girl you like…"

"NANI!" This exclamation was more out of the 'Hinata' statement than the girl I liked, but it received many surprised stares from the surrounding people. I quickly gave everyone an icy glare before stealing my beer back from Gaara. "_Hinata…_what does she do here?"

Gaara came to the closest I've ever heard him _giggle_. He pointed over at the table that I remembered his boyfriend dancing on what seemed like ages ago. I stared in wonder, then quickly surveyed the area for Neji, but couldn't find him, so my gaze returned to the black-haired teen and blonde dancing around that pole. I recognized the blonde immediately as Gaara's boyfriend, but the other…my mind 'WTF' when I recognized the Hyuuga heiress as the black-haired, scantily-clad…beauty.

"H-Hinata…" was all I could say…and think as the crowd cheered, only egging Hinata on as she and Gaara's boyfriend touched each other in ways **_I_** was blushing from. I looked back at Gaara, who was obviously unfazed by their…grope session.

"They've been trying to hide Hinata working here from Neji…I guess she's finally giving up on that…" Gaara commented coolly watching as Hinata used the pole to pull her body up from a laying position on the floor, slowly enough that everyone watching could clearly see she was licking her way up the near-naked blonde leaning against the pole.

"He…will…die…" Neji stated, sitting down at the empty barstool on my other side. Quickly glancing at him, I noticed he was beyond the point of pissed. He was actually so mad, Gaara and I noticed the veins on his temples. _That's not good…_I thought to myself, wondering what could be said to save Gaara's boyfriend from an untimely death by the Hyuuga's hand.

"Sexy, right?" Gaara stated, giving a humored look to Neji, who only growled in reply. When Neji was no longer able to form words, it was safe for me to say that he was beyond the usual 'I'm going to kill him for daring to come near MY Hinata-sama' disposition. I noticed the song was beginning to end, thankfully. If Neji would have had to watch that man touch his cousin one more time, he probably would have killed him then and there, but I was surprised the Hyuuga had held onto sanity this long.

I remembered the only other time a man had gotten close enough to touch Hinata-he merely smacked her behind softly-and Neji went into a rage so bad…the police didn't want to know where he hid the dismembered man's _jewels_. Thankfully, they kept everything quiet and out of the news, since the Hyuuga family is famous. Instead of being angry at Neji for taking a knife to another man's crotch, his uncle actually patted him on the back, saying he would have done the same thing if he was Hinata's bodyguard.

_Their family sometimes scares me…_I thought to myself, watching as the pair of half-naked employees jumped off the stage and came towards the bar. I, out of instinct, quickly grabbed for Neji and held him back as best as I could when the blonde came into view, Hinata right behind him. Neji surged forwards, but I kept a firm grip on him, placing my own body between him and Gaara's boyfriend, praying that Hinata would quickly explain herself and save the employee's pride and life.

"Neji-niisan…" Hinata began, looking to her side, a blush on her face. She only called him 'niisan' when she wanted to apologize for something or wanted to charm him into doing something-which wasn't hard for her to do usually. Neji, at the sound of her voice, backed up slightly, the freakish veins on his temples receding slightly.

"Heh…so this is Neji…" the blonde said nervously from behind Gaara, who had also jumped up to stop Neji's attack, just in case I couldn't contain the overprotective teen. I glanced back at him for a moment, surprised to hear that he, like the majority of the other employees, was only a teen. Taking a look at his body, he looked to be at least mid-twenties, but his voice sounded to be closer to my age-it wasn't deep like most guys', but his voice held a male quality that raised hairs on the back of my neck. (A/N: some guys just have _that voice_…it's an amazing thing…)

"I…will…kill…" Neji quietly stated, glaring at the blonde with promises of death, castration, and about fifty other horrible endings for the man. Hinata slowly walked up to Neji and took his balled fist in her smaller hands, gently leaning towards her cousin and pressing her face into his chest. Neji's body froze when Hinata's head touched him, so I decided it was safe to let go and step back.

"Gomen nasai, Neji-niisan," Hinata mumbled into his shirt, moving even closer to him. Neji-unable to move-simply looked down at her and we watched as his face turned bright red. I then noticed that Hinata had been able to coerce his arms around her waist. "I didn't mean to make you mad at me…" Hinata gave her best teary-eyed look I had ever seen on her-I even wanted to cuddle her at that moment!-and Neji melted.

"Daijoubu, I'm not mad at you Hinata-sama," Neji replied softly, glancing over at me-his eyes asking if it was 'okay' for him to return the hug. I nodded my head, smirking, as he did just that. The image was so perfect, I almost wanted to go in search of a camera, but noticed Sakura taking pictures like a madwoman, so I decided I would ask for copies later.

I diverted my eyes as the two remained in each others' arms for more than the usual 'cousinly' embrace, but continued to watch them out of the corner of my eye. Hinata turned her head slightly to rest her head more comfortably on Neji's chest as the older teen let his head bow enough to bury his nose into Hinata's hair and his hand, the one not being held down by Hinata's smaller hands, drifted up to the other Hyuuga's head, where he gently stroked her hair.

"I think I'm going to be sick…" Gaara commented from behind me. I almost agreed with him when I felt him take a sharp intake of breath. I, glancing back, noticed he was being elbowed by his boyfriend.

"Oh, hush you…" Gaara's boyfriend…Kitsune?…snapped. From the smile on his half-hidden face, I could tell he wasn't meaning to sound offended, but the way Gaara looked at him, I'm sure the red head didn't realize that. Gaara wrapped his arms around the shorter teen and nuzzled the top of his head. I was close enough I could hear a soft 'gomen' coming from Gaara. _He has him…whipped…_I thought internally, smirking at how _domesticated _Gaara had become in the few months I hadn't spoken to him. I couldn't help but-against my long-set belief against homosexuality-I inwardly wished them luck. Anything that made Gaara smile like that had my acceptance.

"It's so cute!" Sakura commented, taking a picture of the two boys, who were beginning to get a little too _intimate_ for me to stand, so I returned to my beer at the bar's counter. Sakura, now having found a new calling as a pornographic photographer, had already run out of a roll of film and, with expert hands, quickly put in a new one. I sighed, trying to ignore the loud sounds behind me that told me exactly what my best friend had been doing all this time. I was amazed that, however disturbing I found the soft moans and whispers exchanged between the two boys, I was kind of turned on by it.

"Sasuke-kun…are you okay? You're starting to turn red…" Sakura said softly, stopping her frantic picture-taking to look at me. I stared down at the counter and mumbled that I was fine. _What the hell is wrong with me all of a sudden?_ I wondered to myself, praying that I could leave the club as soon as I was finished with my beer…and not have to deal with the couple behind me anymore tonight. Neji and Hinata, finally done with their sickeningly cute, loving moment, turned to look at me.

"Sasuke…" Neji started out-I was their only ride home, so I turned to look at him and nodded my head. "Arigatou." He said softly, letting me see a contented smile on his face. _Heh…'bout time those two finally got together…_ I glanced over at Hinata, noticing for the first time that her face was flushed. _She's beyond drunk…I was wondering why she wasn't being so shy tonight…her father's going to kill Neji…_I thought to myself, inwardly thankful, for Hinata's sake, that it was a Friday.

I quickly finished my now warm beer and slid off of my barstool, slowly following Neji-who had opted to carry Hinata bridal-style back to the car…she didn't seem capable to walk anymore-out of the club. We passed through the crowds, which were mostly people I had seen around school. There were so many teachers, it made my head spin. _Is the entire staff here?_ I wondered for a moment, my heart falling when I saw a certain brunette chatting with a silver-haired man I recognized as the literature teacher for the higher grades. He looked boring, so I had always been glad not to have him. But, it was a double-edged sword…we, instead of having the boring teacher, got Jiraiya…the most perverted being I had ever met, which was a feat, since Neji had his moments.

_This town has no morals…_I decided, the fact that Iruka smiled at us as we left only adding to my proof. Figuring that the teachers all had to be drunk or high…perhaps both…I explained Iruka's behavior, but was pretty sure that the man didn't look drunk. As I stepped out into the cold January air, I sighed . Zabuza had been inside, so the three of us were completely alone as I unlocked the car and watched as Neji gently put Hinata into the backseat, even going as far as to strap her in, then got in next to her from the other side.

_This is going to be fun dropping them off…_I thought to myself as I turned the key, still wondering how I could have gotten aroused, even slightly, by Gaara and his boyfriend. _Jiraiya and Neji are turning me into a pervert like them…_I thought to myself as I pulled away from the curb, heading towards the Hyuuga mansion.

/\\

Authoress: shit…this thing says I've written twenty two pages…/smiles/ heh…sorry I made the chapter so long, everyone!

Neji//is content/

Authoress: now, since Hinata is drunk, we won't be having and Hyuugacest fest next chapter…and in the next chapter, I'm sure to reveal the actual plot of the story, I promise//grins sheepishly/ it took me long enough, right? Anyways, I just want to say something…for those of you who guessed who Aoi's supposed to be…/hands out cookies/ YAY FOR YOU!

Sasuke//stares in wonder/

Authoress: now, for those of you who know about the current contest going on, EXTRA FOUR PACKS OF RAMEN TO THE PEOPLE WHO CAN HELP ME!…I can't spell the name Sasuke always calls Naruto in the anime for the life of me…it means 'moron of all morons' …something to that effect…and I know I should know it…considering I own almost every single episode of Naruto in Japanese (No, not the Japanese and English DVDs…original shiiiiieeettt man!)…that makes me wonder…how many episodes are even out in English…dunno…/grins/ heh…I'll stop now before I take up a page with my rants…so, until the next chappie…and hopefully an answer to my question, SAYONARA MY LOYAL REVIEWERS!


	4. Sweet Seduction In A Loincloth

Authoress: I am back again with chapter four of Hensou/smiles/ I know, last chapter kinda was…random and a lot of time passed, but we're going to be going into more detail now that the Hyuuga-problem is over with…I was waiting to do that pairing for months…anyways…

Neji/walks around in a daze/

Authoress: Yep, he's a happy guy now…so, on to the fourth chapter of Hensou…and I promise, the plot is going to come into play this chapter…even if it means there's fifty pages to type…anyways…on we go!

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto…do you _know_ what I could do to the series if I owned it? Oh, Kakashi would be…/imagines the jounin in the shower (quite in the nude), who is then joined by an oddly enough horny Iruka/ ah, pure bliss…I'll leave you guys with that image…now I have to put that in this story somewhere…cuz' Kakashi all wet…/shivers/ ooh…oh, and by the end of the chapter, you will understand this chapter's title!

Chapter Four

(Sasuke's POV)

I couldn't help but sigh in relief when I finally got my front door unlocked and opened. Slipping into the quiet apartment, I closed the door behind myself as softly as I could, then smirked when I realized that there would be no one sitting in the living room or kitchen, getting ready to yell at me for being out late, then driving home drunk. With a quick glance at my watch, I noticed it was already past three in the morning-far past the latest I had ever stayed out while living with my _family_. I leaned against the wooden door before sighing again.

It had been difficult for me to get used to living with the couple who were legally my guardians, but the endless supply of money and status I received from them helped quite a bit. My 'parents' had given me everything I could have asked for, even the solitude I needed. My 'mother' was very kind to me and never asked any questions in all the times I returned home past curfew, half the time with a police officer escorting me, but I always knew she worried about me. She didn't match her husband at all. He only loved one thing-money. I snickered at that thought and pushed away from the door. It wasn't totally true that he loved just money, he also loved to be in power-to have someone below him. The two ways that that could be taken were both true. I had always been…accepting of the man, simply because he made my adopted mother smile, but the first time he looked at me like _that_, I decided that there was no more forgiving him for being such an evil bastard.

Gripping a nearby doorframe, I remembered the first time he approached me, he discovered that I wasn't as innocent as I should have been for a child of seven. After all, the bite marks I got from my brother a week before were still visible under the baggy clothing I preferred to wear. I gave my father enough scratches and bites in my attempts to free myself so that he learned his lesson. It seemed to happen almost once a month, he would come after me in some new way, but each time, I had given him marks that were sure to hurt for some time, if not permanently scar. And, somehow during the years I lived with them, my _perfect_ mother didn't notice a thing. After the only time I was hospitalized for one of my father's attempts to…'discipline' me, as he put it a few times, my mother didn't ask a question. It was at that moment, lying in a bed with two broken ribs, a pierced lung, and a concussion, that I realized she always knew, but she did nothing to protect me…to destroy the perfect world she lived in.

I inwardly smiled when I remembered that, while in that hospital bed, I had met a boy only a year my senior. After an initial cautiousness near the silent boy, I was overcome by curiosity, like most children are, and continued to ask the boy any question I could think of. If he didn't answer me, I only repeated my question a tad louder. It took me a few days, but I finally had gotten that this boy had been in a car accident with his mother, who died from the impact, but he had been saved because it was his 'fate.' Neji's belief in everything being predetermined interested me, but the sadness I could see in the boy's pale eyes were what truly made me continue to ask questions.

When I finally got out of that hospital, I had immediately looked up Neji's address and visited the mansion the day I got home. It had taken three buses, a train, a taxi, nearly five hours, and all of my allowance for the past few weeks, but I had reached his house. Now that I was older, I knew that the majority of my travels that day just wasted my time and money, but I found the trip the most exciting thing I had ever done in my life…it was the first time I did something without my parents knowing.

I could remember that visit with perfect clarity. Arriving at the mansion's main gate, praying it was his house, I had gotten more than one questioning look, but all looks were quickly erased when the people ushering me into the house had seen Neji's soft smile. He had been listening to the butler's and security's interrogation with interest as he hobbled on his crutches from a side room to meet us. I had been amazed that these people quickly left us with a wave of his hand, but I knew it was the fact he had smiled that had gotten them to trust me around the older boy more. Neji had found it amusing that I had gone through all the trouble to visit him the day I had been released, but what made him chuckle was that I had snuck out of my room and my parents didn't know where I would have been going. After retelling my adventure of public transportation, I was introduced to his aunt, uncle, and two cousins. The four people were like every one else I had ever met-polite and kind to me, but I could also see that their actions were out of sincerity, not necessity. Neji hadn't told them _who _I was or that my family didn't know where I was, so we spent the entire day together, with only a few restrictions. Neji, who had only gotten out of the hospital a few days before myself, and I were forced to remain under his uncle's supervision, but we still had fun just talking and I found that his uncle, even though Neji obviously hated him, was a man I could talk to. He, unlike all of my parents' friends, treated me like an adult and looked at me with respect when I challenged him to a game of shougi and nearly won (since then, he and I played every time we had the chance and kept a tally…and are currently even in our wins). I had never been respected by an adult before, so I had quickly found myself recognizing this Hyuuga as more of a father figure than any other man I knew. It was only after dinner that Neji's family discovered that I was _the _Uchiha Sasuke. I had accidentally let a few pieces about my family slip and Hiashi put it together and, after a few questions, I had told him that my parents didn't know where I was, which ended Neji and my play-date abruptly. Neji's uncle had the three of us driven back to my house, which took only about half an hour (which confused me at the time) and, with glares at the two of us, made us walk up to my front door and, while we waited for someone to answer after Hiashi knocked on the door, Neji and I remained silent in fear of what Hiashi would do to us. He seemed very angry at both of us, but I knew it was only out of fatherly concern. He had only to imagine how afraid he would be if he found out Hinata or Hanabi were missing for an entire day to become so angered.

I couldn't forget that when the door was finally opened, my mother had been surprised to see me, but quickly masked her amazement with concern and fear. It was only later that I found out-after another disciplining from my father-that they didn't even know I was gone. Even though I had gotten a beating that still made me shiver sometimes, I didn't think going to Neji's that day was a mistake. Since then, I ran away more than once to his house, as well as actually asking to go visit, and as we got older, I came home even later and got more severe punishment for my actions, but even to this day, I knew Neji-along with Gaara-was the best thing that had ever happened to me.

Sliding into my room and landing on the bed as my legs gave out, I chuckled. I remembered that I had almost danced with joy when Neji asked if it would be possible for me to go to school with Hinata and him. To get away from my family…to leave it all and be closer to my true family, it was as if I was dreaming. Even if for the first few months, I had to deal with living with Itachi, it was the first time I knew true happiness. It wasn't bad to live with Itachi, except for his boyfriends, since he had long lost interest in me, but now, being truly alone, I could do anything I wanted. Covering my closed eyes with a hand, I sighed. My sigh was the only sound in the entire apartment, which was almost unsettling. Every day it seemed that my home was filled with Aoi's unceasing screams and whines, which seemed to still echo even after she left for the day. _But now, she doesn't need to come over anymore…_I thought to myself, blinking underneath my hand. My contacts had already begun to hurt my eyes, but I didn't want to get up at the moment, so I endured it as I turned onto my stomach. When I first met her, I didn't think that it would be like this to end our time together…I thought I would be glad, but I found myself biting my lip in attempts to forget how lively my apartment seemed just the day before.

(still Sasuke's POV)

"So…what's wrong with you tonight?" Gaara asked as he sat down next to me before waving Sakura over to our table and asking for a beer. The pink-haired girl nodded, but I didn't answer him until we were as alone as we would be in the packed club.

"Why do you think something is wrong?" I retorted with as little emotion as I could at that moment. Glaring at Gaara's upturned…lack of an eyebrow, I glanced back down at my drink. The liquid hadn't done much for me tonight, nor had the cigarettes box I emptied nearly ten minutes prior.

"You don't usually drink scotch unless you had a fight with your father," Gaara commented as he pulled the empty box of cigarettes away from me. "And I thought you quit…"

"…smoking what you give me is good for me then?" I snapped, immediately regretting what I had said when I saw Gaara look away. "Gomen…I'm not in a very good mood right now…"

"I guessed that…so, what happened?" Gaara asked as he glanced up at Sakura, who had returned with his drink and another glass for me. She smiled softly as she set the drinks down, then left again. I sighed before raising my new drink to my lips, but sighed and placed the cold glass back down before drinking any.

"My parents called this morning…" A soft 'ah' of understanding came from Gaara, but I shook my head. "That's not it…not all of it…my mother is sick, so they want me to go back…" I sighed again and bowed my head. I hated both of them, but they could force me to return and I didn't want that embarrassment.

"Don't you have a play or something in a few weeks?" Gaara pointed out questioningly before taking a long drink from his amber bottle. I nodded, wondering what the play had to do with this. My father hated the arts-one of the reasons I had never even told them about the play in the first place, so I raised an eyebrow when Gaara smirked. "Tell them you're in it…lead role from what Neji's told me…"

"You know him…he won't care…" I replied, staring down at the wooden table. Gaara shook his head before pointing the neck of his beer bottle at me.

"Not if you tell him who else is in the play…most of their parents are very rich…and hearing that the entire play is cancelled because he pulls you out at the last minute…" Gaara smirked as I shook my head in amusement. "See…that bastard is so easy to manipulate…"

"Is that why he still thinks you're the son of some Irish mob boss?" I joked, making Gaara chuckle before he nodded. Ever since my father met Gaara, he had wanted to know who the boy was, so Gaara (with the most sincere face I had ever seen on him) had fabricated this whole story about coming to Japan with his siblings in order to escape some don or something their father had offended. It was quite amusing to watch Gaara convince my father of that, especially since Neji and I were trying not to snort _too_ loudly. "I'll tell him…how can you be so good at reading people?"

"Comes with the profession," Gaara replied seriously, then shook his head. "Now, tell me who this girl is…"

"Girl?"

"Even if Neji didn't tell me you got rejected, it's kind of obvious…" Gaara replied, making me glare at him before I finished my scotch in one gulp. "From what I've gotten from him and Hinata…blonde, loud, annoying, nice body, a bit violent, and an absolute idiot…not exactly what I thought your type was…"

"Urusai," I replied before looking down at my empty glass. "Her name's Aoi…and I don't like her…" I turned my head to the side so Gaara couldn't see my face, but from the chuckle I heard come from him, I had to turn to look at him. _I don't like her…I'm just going to…miss having her around…_I sighed at that pathetic thought.

"Denial…"

"…" I couldn't think of a quick retort, so I merely sighed. _He's right…_I stared at the bar's table for a moment, then propped my head up on one hand while I held my glass with the other. "I just miss having her around…"

A soft 'ah' from Gaara made my eye twitch. He was being unusually sympathetic tonight, which was making me all the more suspicious. "Tell her that…I'm sure she has feelings for you too…" He smirked-one of those things that made peoples' blood run cold, but merely made me shake my head in preparation for his sarcastic comment. "No person, male or female, can deny you…"

"Oh? You and Neji haven't jumped me yet…neither has Hinata…" I retorted, good-naturedly as I felt my earlier depression weaken its hold on me. "Arigatou, Kami-sama…" Gaara raised his lack of an eyebrow, then shook his head, mumbling 'baka' under his breath. If I hadn't learned to read lips, I wouldn't have even caught it, but I somehow knew Gaara had wanted me to know what he said. "Nani?"

"Neji and Hinata are too caught up in each other to even notice you…" Gaara replied, quickly glancing at a nearby dancing couple. My eye twitched when I recognized the Hyuuga heiress and her 'bodyguard'. With a snort, I glanced back at Gaara. "What?" He asked, immediately wanting to know what I was thinking about.

"He's certainly guarding her body…" I smirked as Gaara chucked in reply. We had the same sense of humor-slightly perverse to the point anything someone said could be dirty in our minds. "…what about you?" I asked, returning to our earlier topic.

"…do you really want to know?" he replied questioningly as he flagged Sakura down and asked her for a beer. The pink-haired girl, as much as a busybody as she was, was ignoring our conversation and quickly gave Gaara his order.

Waiting until she had moved out of hearing range, I looked at Gaara as my stomach began to tighten. _He…likes me!_ I was dumbfounded, but that didn't stop my mouth from forming an idiotic response to his answer. "What do you think?" _Baka…baka…baka!_ I mentally cursed myself. As much as I loved Gaara-in a brotherly sort of way- I never had imagined him to feel any differently towards me. But, then again, he was gay…and I knew I had a male-based fan-club at school…so why did I suddenly feel so…afraid? _Simple…you don't want to have to tell your best friend 'no' to something…just because you're…scared. _Gaara had done so much for me in the years I had known him, so I had always felt like I owed him…but going against my principles…my…fears…was just too much.

Gaara simply snorted as he watched me mentally berate myself, then answered me, "…any gay or bi guy would want you, dumbass…but I know you can't ever like me like that…" The pitiful sound of longing in his voice made me immediately wish I wasn't homophobic, but I bit my lip from saying anything that would get me in more trouble with my beliefs and values. "Anyways…I had a boyfriend…I don't want that again…"

_Had?_ "What happened?" I couldn't help myself from asking what had gotten that seemingly passionate couple to break up.

"He wanted someone else…someone I couldn't be…" Gaara replied as he stared at his long-necked bottle. "I…I thought I did love him…I figured out that I was only trying to make up for not being with you…"

As much as that statement should have surprised…and disturbed me, I was surprised it didn't. Instead, I only felt sympathy for the redhead-and amazement…_that was the longest speech Gaara had ever made, I think. _"Gomen…for-"

"Don't apologize…it's not your fault…it's those _assholes _who should be apologizing to you…" From that predatory glint in his green eyes, I knew Gaara meant my brother and adopted father by 'assholes.' Sometimes I believed he would kill them if he could get away with it…and not have the police look at me as a suspect. His comment surprised me, simply because I didn't know he had guessed what exactly my father had done to me-except be a total bastard-but from the acidic tone of his voice, I knew he had a good idea.

"How long did you know?"

"…ever since I first met that bastard…just the way he looks at you…" Gaara replied while tightening his grip on the beer bottle. I was slightly surprised that he knew, without even having to ask, what I was talking about. "So…tell me more about this girl…" he stated in attempts to brighten our moods.

"What do you want to know?" I answered softly, hoping that he wouldn't go on one of his missions in order to get her go out with me…he had done that too many times, which only ended up in girls' hearts broken. Knowing now that he had always liked me, I thought it was strange that he was continuously trying to find me a girlfriend, but then again, Gaara hated to see me being alone.

_"Age? Single? Size? Pick a feature…" Gaara replied, smirking. I didn't even want to know which feature he meant by 'size,' so I merely shook my head. "So…our age…and currently seeing someone, I'm guessing…"_

"That's sometimes creepy…" His amazing ability to read body language had caught me off guard more than once, but I was expecting it this time. "And you're right…she has a lover…" Gaara slowly nodded his head, as if assessing all the options he had to get rid of her boyfriend, but then he took a deep breath. This meant, in my years of studying him, that he had thought up of a perfectly devious plan. "What now?"

"Do you know how much you owe me?" he asked curiously, an emotion he hardly ever showed, which meant something was going through that twisted mind of his. I glared at him, giving him my 'I have a good idea, why?' answer through the gaze. "I'll forget your debt if you can get her to go out with you…for at least two months…and I'll give you a month to ask her…" Gaara…always so direct…

"I'm not going to make her break up with her boyfriend…just to pay you back…" I replied, glaring at Gaara. I knew I could be heartless…but I had already found out how much she loved this mysterious guy, so I wouldn't do anything to ruin her happiness.

"One month…anything could happen…" Gaara commented softly-hinting at something…but I didn't truly want to know what he knew that I didn't. Sometimes it was better just not to question Gaara…or his information.

"What's the catch?"

"No catch…just date her for two months…and that means making it _public_ that you're with her…and if you can't do it for two whole months…then the deal's off…" he replied, smirking in such a way, I shivered. He definitely knew something I didn't.

"Anything specific I have to do with her?" I asked, knowing that Gaara could as easily say 'sleep with her' as 'kiss her.'

"Bring her on a couple dates…I don't care…just as long as I don't have to hear from Neji that you two were found naked in a bathroom…"

"You have something against bathrooms?" I retorted, smirking at him. He knew that such a thing would never happen-one of the perks of still being a virgin at sixteen-nearing seventeen. I chuckled when he mirrored my entertained expression.

"Nope…just…" He shivered, unable to finish his sentence while I smirked. Very few people knew Gaara had automysophobia, something that I found hysterical, considering what a 'bad-ass' he was. I snorted at his response, then decided to annoy him a little more.

/A/N: automysophobia-a fear of dirt…isn't it great?…yep…Gaara hates dirt…but loves sand…what an odd combination…/

"What about doing it in the rain…on the ground?" I asked, being filled with a sadistic pleasure when I saw Gaara squirm. "Ah, all that _mud_…_everywhere_…" He began twitching at this…which only added to my entertainment-I loved doing this to him, especially when he deserved it. "…then…of course, I'd have to-"

"Gah! Stop that!" Gaara exclaimed, glaring at me. His cheeks were already turning pink when he realized that people had stopped dancing to stare at him-and wonder what had gotten him to shake so much, not to mention yell. I shook my head, trying not to laugh too hard as he snorted and went back to his drink. Once the deathly silence was replaced by the sound of the club in full swing-loud-he mumbled something; "At least I'm not afraid of the dark…"

"Oi, that was a long time ago!" I retorted, trying not to remember the first time I slept over at Gaara's and cried almost the entire night-until Temari turned on a nightlight-which woke Gaara up from his nap. Since he hardly ever slept, especially at night, his moments of unconsciousness were called 'naps' for lack of a better term. "I'm not an insomniac…"

"No, you're a hemophobic," Gaara retorted, hitting a soft spot, which made me wince. I couldn't help but retort 'so are you' before I remembered what had given both of us that odd fear of blood. At least it was self defense in Gaara's case…but I just came home at the wrong time…if I hadn't gone off on my own to target practice…they might have never… Gaara clasped a hand on my shivering shoulder in attempts to calm me down, but the reoccurring thought made me freeze. _They would still be alive…I could have done **something**…_ "You couldn't have done anything, Sasuke…you would have just died with them…"

_Damn him and knowing me so well…_Gaara had been one of the first people I had ever voluntarily told my past to-except my psychiatrist and Neji-…actually…those three were the only people I had ever told…others just merely figured it out for themselves. Smiling softly, I realized what had made going to school with Neji so different…people didn't look at me differently…they didn't know I was the sole witness to the murder of my family…they didn't know I had their blood on my hands…they didn't know how much medication…how much time I spent in the asylum…how I was prone to snapping and going through violent attacks…they didn't know me at all…

"Oi, I'll buy you another round…" Gaara said softly as he flagged Sakura back over to us. I couldn't help but smile softly at my last thought before I made up my mind for Gaara's bet.

_She doesn't know me either…_ "I'll do it…"

/ A/N: yep…okay…now…hmmm…how about we do a lil' Hyuugacest…I like that idea…have a problem, well…sucks to be you/smiles evilly/

(Neji's POV)

"Neji…" Hinata moaned softly as I gently raked my fingers through her soft hair and placed a kiss on her exposed neck. If it hadn't been for the fact I was too spent, I would have already been _quite_ happy to please her again (a fourth time, I am proud to say), but I felt as if I was going to fall asleep right on top of her…which wouldn't be the best of things to do. I was about to get up, but froze when I heard the distinctive jingle 'Secret Garden' by Gackt coming from the pocket of my jeans, which were flung across a chair about ten feet from the bed.

"_yasashisa no kakera mo mienai_

_kurikaesareru shingou ga_

_kuchimoto ni dake ai o kataritsuzuke_

_boku wa karadajuu ni meguru puragu o hazushi_

_kono ashi de mou ichido dake_

_kono sora o mita"_

I mentally cursed as I jumped up and flew towards the evil cell phone, cursing my own idea to put the song on it instead of something less…out of place. If it had been classical music or a normal ring, then no one would wonder if they heard the sound come from Hinata's bedroom…but being the only Gackt fan in the house had its disadvantages…I was the only person with the song on his phone.

By the time I reached the chair, the song was already on its chorus. Knowing how nosy people could be in this house, I prayed no one was nearby, since they obviously would have to come in and ask Hinata why my phone was in her room…and that would lead to a whole mess of problems. _Most likely starting with "why is Neji standing in the middle of Hinata's room naked?" and ending with "should we use a butcher's knife, katana, or blunt butter knife to castrate Neji?." _Sometimes my sense of humor scared even me.

"_yume no naka de hirogaru sekai wa_

_the last secret gard--_

I quickly picked up the phone and, as soon as I heard the voice on the other side, I cursed softly. "Sasuke!" I yelled as quietly as I could before turning to Hinata and noticed she was staring at her door. My head swung around and watched the door and heard what had gotten Hinata's attention…a soft knock. _Shimatta…_ "Sasuke…I have to call you back…"

"Bad time?" he asked, obviously understanding what I was doing that had gotten me to whisper with such fear in my voice.

"_Very_," I answered almost immediately, then added, "I'm never letting you pick out what song to put on my phone again…" If it hadn't been such a serious statement, he probably would have laughed, but instead, I heard an apology, then a click as he hung up.

"Hinata…" _Hanabi…_my eyes widened when I heard my annoying cousin's voice…that little brat probably would tell her father exactly what she knew…and knowing her and her information-retrieving skills, that would be a lot. "Father is looking for Neji…"

"Anou…he's not in here…" Hinata replied as she slid out from underneath the crumpled sheets and quickly began to put her clothes back on. I followed her example, then realized that, besides her door and window, there was no way out. The door wasn't an option at the moment, but the three story drop from her window wasn't too appealing either. _I'm screwed…please let the butter knife be a little sharp…_

"I heard his phone…"

"He accidentally left it in he-" Hinata's voice faltered when we both heard a new set of footsteps stop outside the door. Heavier than my cousin's, I immediately knew exactly what was on the other side of the door.

"Go downstairs, Hanabi…" Hiashi commented softly before I felt his gaze, somehow, land on me…as if he could see me through the door. I prayed that Sasuke had a very good reason to call me, since he would be the one paying for the surgery to get my manhood reattached…if I was still alive to find it…

"But-"

"NOW!" He said firmly before the girl had a chance to protest in that annoying voice of hers. I looked at Hinata and couldn't help but smile when I saw her. Every time I laid my eyes on her, I was immediately filled with love for her…even now when I knew my fate was sealed.

"F-Father…" Hinata whispered, her voice almost drowned out by the thundering of my heart. _He's going to kill me…forget about castration…_I thought to myself as I walked toward the door. With a gulp, I slowly opened the door, but nearly fell over when Hinata pushed me up against the wall before her father got a glimpse of me. Thankfully, the door was hiding me as her father walked in and took a quick survey of the room.

"Where's Neji?" Hiashi's voice was cold…enough to make me freeze and wish that he would just close the door and find me, then kill me quickly. Even though I couldn't see past the door, I knew Hinata had turned her charm on. I could imagine her cocking her head to the side and giving her father a completely innocent look.

"I'm not sure…I was cleaning my room when I heard his phone go off…he must have accidentally left it in here yesterday when he was helping me with homework…" Hinata replied smoothly, without stuttering once-which was a feat for her, especially when speaking to her father.

"We have maids for cleaning," Hiashi replied as I felt his gaze land on the door. _Shit…death will be painful…_I thought to myself as I said a mental prayer…hoping that some deity would hear me.

"I know, Father…but I didn't want to bother them…" Hinata replied softly. She was so cute sometimes, that I couldn't help but partially believe her-even knowing that she was lying. I could hear Hiashi's heavy footsteps move around…and guessed he was turning to leave. I let out a soft sigh in relief, knowing the man wouldn't hear it (the wonders of getting older), but then realized he wasn't leaving…he was standing still in the middle of the room and, from the hairs standing up on the back of my neck, staring directly at Hinata's bed. _Kami-sama…_

"Neji…get out from behind that door and explain yourself." My legs moved themselves as I complied to his command. I could hear him take a deep breath as he continued to stare at Hinata's bed, praying he wouldn't turn around to seem me half naked and slightly trembling. His temper was legendary…and he already was hard enough on me.

"Sir…" I said softly as I stared at Hinata and smiled softly. As long as I could see her once more, I would die happy…such a melodramatic thought, but I knew it to be true. Hiashi turned around and I watched as his pupil-less eyes studied me.

"May I ask _what_ you were doing with my daughter!" With each word, Hiashi's voice rose a full decibel, making the final word of his demand crack as his voice echoed through the house. I winced, but kept my eyes locked on his-one should never show fear to its predator…especially when that predator is your father's brother, in my case.

"I don't think that is any of _your_ business," I replied as calmly as I could. Guessing from the veins that began to pop out of my uncle's temples, that was the wrong thing to say at the moment, but I wanted to save Hinata's honor, if I could…and not admit to anything. _There's a lot of reasons I'm half naked in her room…and why the bed is messed up…she was giving me a massage…that won't work…I just won't confirm that we are lovers…_ With that thought, I stood perfectly straight, which allowed me to stare directly into my uncle's eyes and prove to him I wasn't afraid of him.

"_None_ of my business…" Hiashi said with a calm tone, which made me step back a step…he never hid his emotions so well before…he wasn't pissed at me…he was far beyond the point of mere anger. He was thinking of a way to kill me while calculating how to be rid of my body.

"Hai, none of_ your_ business," I repeated, equaling his tranquil tone with my own. I kept my eyes trained on him as he looked to Hinata. I could see in his eyes that he confirmed something as he looked at his oldest child and that evidence made his eyes harden before he looked back at me.

"How dare you seduce a child…" he commented softly as he took a step towards me. Instead of backing up, like my mind was screaming for me to do, I held my ground and looked at him with determination-or at least what I hoped was determination and not the fear I was trying to hide. Not fear for myself, since I knew nothing I said would save me now, but fear for Hinata.

"She isn't a child and it is time you finally noticed that," I replied before I took a deep breath and prepared myself for the screaming that I was expecting, but it never came. I then realized that Hiashi was too angry to even form words, let alone yell at me.

"Get…out of my…house…" he said as I heard him grind his teeth between words. For a moment, I was amazed at the restrain the man was showing…he was really holding himself back from strangling me here and now. I glanced at Hinata and smiled forlornly, imprinting her beautiful face and equally saddened expression in my mind before turning to leave.

"Sayonara, Hinata," I stated softly before walking calmly to my room to get dressed before leaving. I couldn't help but feel as if I was doing something terribly wrong as I left Hiashi alone with Hinata, but I also knew he would never hurt her…or blame her for what _I_ did…

(Sasuke's POV)

"Oi…stop banging…" I commented as I shuffled towards the door. _Six o'clock…who the hell is up this early besides Neji?_ With a smirk, I answered that question-myself. I had woken up early in order to catch Neji before he went on his daily fifteen mile jog-I sometimes wondered if he was human-which would place him outside his house (without his cell phone) for nearly an hour and a half. As I began to open the door, I realized my mistake. "Neji…gomen…about this morning…" _Shimatta…I forgot…_ Somehow, I had conveniently forgot that I had…interrupted him this morning…and he had sounded quite…afraid when answering his phone.

"Don't apologize…" Neji replied as I moved to the side and let him walk in. Without my asking, he continued, "my uncle found out…kicked me out…" I closed the door before following the Hyuuga into the kitchen, where I immediately put on a pot of water for tea. "He accused me of seducing her…calling her a child…"

"You know you didn't seduce Hinata, so why do you care what he says?" I asked as I went in search of two mugs, finally finding them-for some odd reason-in with the cereal. I then remembered that Aoi had begun to reorganize my kitchen…and she must have a strange sense of logic to think of mugs, cereal, and rice all went together, but it kept her quiet for a few hours.

"What did you want this morning?" Neji glanced up at me as I set the blue mugs down on the table, then sat down opposite him. I took a deep breath then explained Gaara and my bet and, as soon as I finished, Neji shook his head. "That couldn't wait until school?"

"…guess it could have…" I replied sheepishly as I got up to get the now boiling water. "Do you have any ideas?…" Turning to look at Neji, I saw him smirk, despite the shit he had gotten himself into-or what _I_ got him into.

"Does she like you?" Neji asked unemotionally, just to mock me, before pulling one of the now steaming cups of tea near himself. I sat back down and stared at my cup of instant coffee-I was a caffeine junkie. "Ask her out on a date, start being _nice_ to her…I don't know…I had to get Hinata drunk to finally figure out she liked me…"

"Do _you_ want to see Aoi drunk?" He and I both smirked at that thought-she was unusual as it was…and only something hilarious would come out of her being intoxicated. "…And if she says no when I ask her out?"

"You're screwed," Neji stated quickly, ducking as I flung a spoon at him. I shook my head before returning to my lovely black coffee. "I say stop calling her an idiot all the time and see if she actually treats you like a human too…"

"…" I blinked, inwardly wondering if that would work. It was so natural to call the blonde an idiot and be yelled at in return…it was natural to me now. "Fine…but if that doesn't work?"

"Start saving up your money," Neji suggested, but this time I had nothing to throw at him, so I merely glared. "Now you have to help me think of a way to get back in my uncle's 'good graces.'"

"I never thought I'd hear you say that…" I said while smirking. "What about sucking up?"

"I'm in too deep to just beg myself back into the house…only a miracle would save me…" Neji replied as he leaned back in his chair and sighed. "The weird thing was that my uncle wasn't really mad that…it was Hinata and _me_…he found together…more that Hinata was still a 'child' to him…like I should have asked his permission first…"

"Your uncle's into incest…that's_ too_ convenient…" I commented jokingly, forgetting Neji still had his spoon. The offensive utensil hit my forehead with a soft _thwack_-satisfying to Neji's ears-before clattering to the table. "If you throw something else at me, you're going to have to go live with Gaara…" I stated as I picked up the spoon and studied it.

"At least he wouldn't make incest jokes…" Neji replied, pouting mockingly. "But you're kind of right…" I saw a soft smile grace Neji's lips as he glanced at me. "Maybe if I can prove to him…I love Hinata…he'd accept us…"

"And maybe I'll turn gay and somehow Lee finds a boyfriend," I replied, smirking. The image of Lee and _anyone_-male, female, or asexual-was too much for either of us to take (I only said _boy_friend because I wasn't too sure he was into girls…he liked Gai _far_ too much for it to be idolization). Neji twitched as he stared at me for a moment, biting his lip to stop himself from laughing.

"And his boyfriend isn't Gai?" Neji added, making me spit out the black coffee I had been trying to enjoy.

"Nope…it's some hot guy…" I replied while wiping the coffee off of my face, for once having fun while talking about such a (in my mind) disturbing subject.

"As long as his eyebrows don't rival Lee's, I don't care…" Neji answered, making my hopes of getting a cup of coffee in myself flutter away as I burnt my nose as the liquid went flying. "and he doesn't wear spandex…"

"As long as I never seen Lee in something like Shino wears at the club, I could deal with his boyfriend in spandex," I commented, finally getting Neji to spray his green tea across the table. Shino's outfit was notorious…and just imagining Lee in such a…revealing outfit would just be plain wrong.

"It'd be a little less tight around his privates," Neji pointed out optimistically.

"Because it's a loincloth…" I retorted, making Neji nearly choke. "But then, what about the back?" This sent Neji into a whole new fit of laughter-and coughing.

"Oh, Kami-sama, that's too much…" Neji replied. "I don't even want to imagine Lee's…ah! You made me think about it!"

Just to get Neji's mind even farther into the image, I whispered, "thong" across the table. Neji screeched as he covered his eyes. For the moment, I was happy enough to get Neji's mind away from being banished from his own home-even if it meant having to imagine Lee in the smallest piece of material I had ever seen cover up lower body parts.

Authoress: yep…that is all I have to say to that…Lee in a loincloth/thong thing…/stares in wonder/ oh my…anyways…_that_ would be our master plot right there…and in only eleven pages this time!…I'm sorry for taking so long…but I'm sure to have some _good_ smut in the next chapter…if nothing else, it will be Neji and Hinata…or perhaps Gaara and somebody…(I can't tell you who he will end up with…it will ruin the surprise…)…but…thank all of you for your support so far on my first AU story…/smiles/ and my first Naruto…and FOR ALL NARUTO FANFIC FANS…I currently am writing two new stories, a Naruto/Sasuke one that is actually set in the _right_ timeframe…and the other will be a Iruka/Kakashi…just because you _know_ there is something between those two…

Iruka/blushes/

Kakashi/does that creepy eye-smiling trick of his/

Authoress: Until next time, my loyal reviewers, in which we will explore more of Sasuke's homophopic tendencies and Lee's ventures in fashion! SAYONARA!


	5. For The Love Of Pancakes

-1Authoress: okay, I'm on a roll right now…and I'm in the mood to write some Naruto fan fiction…so, here we go!

Neji: YOU KICKED ME OUT OF MY HOUSE!

Authoress: yep…and we discovered the plot…

Gaara//twitches/ you hinted at who that spandex-clad thing would end up with…

Authoress: yes, yes I did…/smiles at the redhead/ now, just for looli (thanks for the review!), this is a NARUTO/SASUKE STORY…just to assure all of ya…while there will be other…pairings and (if it gets to that point…with the aid of drugs and alcohol) there may be a sexy ass threesome…dinkscythe, I shall pray to the fox god too for that…it'd be so nice…still, I don't know for sure yet, but I know that Naruto and Sasuke will end up together…/glances around/ or not….but that's the planned pairing…okay…now that that's cleared up, on to chapter five of HENSOU//cheers/

Disclaimer: now, come on people…I don't own Naruto…I wish I did…it'd be nice…could you imagine all the things Naruto could _do_ if it was rated for very mature audience…not to mention all the moments between our favorite sensei pairing…hehehe…Kakashi would, of course, never wear anything but his mask (maybe not even that…hehe) for the entire series…and Gai would never be mentioned…he's just too creepy for even me…

Kakashi:…/stares/ maa…

Chapter Five

(Sasuke's POV)

Staring at Iruka in an attempt to pay attention long enough to retain some of the information he was talking about, I felt my eyes begin to droop. How Neji was actually wide awake after getting up before the sun even rose was a mystery to me, but, then again, staying up until nearly two in the morning probably had something to do with my sleepiness. I was so out of it, for the majority of the morning, I hadn't done anything. Usually I would have had at least three pages of notes by now, but all that was on my paper was my untouched pen and a small black bug that I had recognized earlier as one of Shino's pets. That little fact about him still unnerved me; collecting bugs wasn't exactly my idea of a hobby.

"Sasuke?" someone whispered to my right. I blinked, then turned my head to the owner of the voice, surprised to see Sakura was almost sitting in my lap. I didn't even realize she was in the room, let alone a hairsbreadth away from me, staring up at me with loving eyes. "Daijoubuka?"

"…daijoubu…" I replied after staring at her for a moment. She smiled softly when she heard my answer, then turned to look back at Iruka-probably to take notes. I wasn't sure what she was doing since, as soon as she turned away from me, I went back to my half-sleeping state all while praying the school day was almost over. I wasn't sure if I would last a few more hours without embarrassing myself and actually falling asleep in class-I would rather die than lose my reputation as a hard-ass. Most people thought I was unapproachable-a god in some of their eyes. I guess I was to almost anyone anyways, but the drama club knew me well enough to see that, while I was usually unemotional and quiet, I was quite human.

I was shook from my thoughts when I heard the classroom door fly open and watched, with a half-upturned lip, as a blur of blonde and-oddly enough- orange flew through the room into an empty desk next to me. "AOI! YOU'RE LATE!" Iruka screamed as his eye twitched in the direction of the grinning blonde to my left.

"Hehe…gomen, Iruka-sensei…my alarm clock broke and…" Aoi trailed off, giving her trademark smile to our teacher long enough that he just sighed and went back to writing about the wonders of reproduction on the board. I studied Aoi for a moment, sensing something different about her today. It wasn't the blindingly orange clothing she was wearing-I inwardly prayed that she would be forced to change soon…that color was distracting me from my nap. I then realized what it was about her today that was giving me such a chill. All the makeup and bangs in the world couldn't have covered up the girl's puffy eyes. I could tell that they weren't caused from any other reason except crying, which made me wonder what happened that made such a cheery person cry so much. Besides the day I first met Aoi, I had never seen her cry, which only made me wonder even more what happened to her to make her so depressed.

"Dobe," I whispered softly, surprised that my voice didn't get her attention. I touched her shoulder gently, this time getting a reaction out of her. She flinched away quickly, then turned her head to look in my direction, but kept her eyes glued to the floor. "What happened?"

"None of your business, bastard," she retorted, her usual mockingly hateful tone missing, which only left bitterness and sorrow. Her voice pierced me, actually hurting more than I thought it would have. "Leave me alone…" she added quietly as she looked up at me with hardened eyes for a moment before turning her head back so she could stare at the front of the room.

_What did I do?_ I couldn't help but wonder as I studied her for a moment; her shoulders slouched in defeat, her arms wrapped around themselves and hands hidden in her large orange jacket. Even the way her legs were crossed-Aoi never crossed her legs-screamed that something terrible had happened to the girl. Something she thought I had done, obviously, which only made me wonder if she had heard about my bet with Gaara, but I knew that was impossible. The only people who knew about that were Gaara, Neji, and myself. The bell's loud chiming made me jump slightly, surprised that the period was finally over. Remembering that there was an emergency drama club meeting during lunch today, I reluctantly got up and waited until Aoi had done the same before picking up my books and slowly walking out of the room.

/\\

(still Sasuke's POV…he's one popular person, ne?)

"Oi, can we get this meeting over…I'm hungry!" Choji complained as he stuffed a handful of chips into his mouth, then moaned again, crying that he was starving.

"You're always hungry," Kiba retorted, covering Akamaru's ears so his puppy wouldn't have to hear Choji's cries. Gai began some type of speech on how a true youth was always hungry while Shikamaru mumbled a 'mendokusee,' his usual comment for everything.

"What did you want to talk to us about, Gai-sensei?" TenTen asked the question that was in all of our thoughts, except for probably Aoi, who didn't even seem to notice where she was as she sat, curled up in one of the auditorium chairs.

"Since this will be our last practice before dress rehearsals…" That fact made my mouth drop for a moment. _Last practice? We aren't ready yet!_ "Our new principal-how youthful she is!-wanted to sit in on our practice today and I wanted all of you to know we are going to have an audience!" Gai exclaimed happily. His statement surprised everyone, but not exactly in the way he had anticipated.

"New principal? What happened to the Sandaime?" Sakura wondered aloud. I hadn't known that we had a new principal either-probably because I had been out of it all morning.

"Hai, didn't you hear that the Sandaime passed away over the weekend?" Ino asked, glaring at Sakura, as if telling her she was an idiot for not knowing. Everyone, except for maybe Neji and Gai, seemed quite surprised by that little fact. I knew Neji hadn't known that our principal had died, but he was quite adept in hiding his feelings. _Maybe that's why Aoi's in such a bad mood…_I thought to myself as I turned to look at Aoi and was surprised to see that she was just as surprised as myself over this piece of news.

_So…what is wrong with her? _I wondered, then thought of another reason why Aoi would be so depressed. _Her boyfriend?_ My eyes widened unintentionally with that thought. Knowing how much she loved her boyfriend, it was no surprise she would be so devastated if they broke up, but why would he have broken up with her? I then realized that, somehow, Gaara knew that she was no longer with whoever her boyfriend was…but how did he know? He didn't even know Aoi's name or anything, so how could he have even used his beloved information-network to find that out?

I was pulled from my thoughts when I saw Aoi move quickly to stand up. I shot out a hand and caught her by the wrist before she had a chance to run away, but immediately regretted it from the reaction I got. She wrenched her hand away, wrapping her other hand around her wrist as she looked at me. Seeing the tears in her eyes made my heart ache slightly, but all pity for her quickly left me when I instinctively twisted my body to the side of my chair as a fist went flying past my left ear. Before even giving me a chance to get out of my seat, Aoi attacked again, this time her other hand nearly colliding with the right side of my face.

Jumping out of the seat as the rest of the group yelled for Aoi to stop, I returned the two punches, knowing that neither would connect since she was far faster than I was. Using all of the years of training, I was barely able to evade her next onslaught. Punch after punch, I only slipped past her fists and, as if that wasn't enough, Aoi had been able to bring up a leg for a round kick-which I am proud to say I dodged, but at a price. As I ducked away from her flying leg, I felt a pressure against my ribcage. _She…used her other leg?_ I realized as I heard the sickening crack as her other leg landed in my abdomen. Sacrificing her balance for that one hit, Aoi fell to the ground-as did I-and quickly got up, but I remained kneeling where I was, with one hand covering my side while the other kept me balanced as I stared at the carpeted flooring of the auditorium.

For a moment, it seemed as if time itself stopped, but that instant ended when I tasted an unusual flavor in my mouth. Knowing exactly what it was, I closed my eyes so I wouldn't have to see the blood drip onto the floor. When she had kicked me, I somehow had bit my tongue hard enough to bleed, which only led me to mentally berate myself for being so clumsy.

"What, can't even take a kick?" Aoi asked softly, her voice holding not an ounce of the cheer or warmth I was used to. Instead, it sounded to be more threatening than anything I had ever heard.

I got up as quickly as I could, but kept my eyes closed until I was sure I wouldn't be able to see the bloodstain I left on the floor. Wincing as I removed my hand from my side, I glared at her. For a moment, I was sure I saw Aoi's eyes widen-I guessed that my face had to be covered in blood from the unusual sensation of warm liquid running down my chin and neck-but, as quickly as her expression changed, it transformed again into hatred.

She game me only a second to right myself before attacking again. This time, I wasn't able to dodge her arms due to the increasing pain in my side. Instead, I moved both arms up in front of my face as she threw a fist forwards, which I discovered wasn't the best thing for me to do when I heard an echoing _snap_ when her fist collided with my right arm. It took a moment before I moved my hands away from my face, immediately wishing I hadn't.

Looking down at my forearm, the taste of blood in my mouth was immediately replaced by bile. Forcing myself not to lose the contents of my stomach, I continued to stare at my arm until the pain finally hit me-when I saw the blood erupt from the gruesome wound in my arm. My body immediately froze when I saw the reddish fluid flowing from the single worst injury I had ever had. Reading stories, seeing pictures, and watching movies with gore was nothing in comparison to actually seeing your own flesh, I discovered, as I stared at the now red-coated object protruding out of my arm. I knew it to be one of the bones in my arm-what I guessed to be my ulna, if my memory of the human skeleton served me right. The force of Aoi's blow had somehow broken my arm badly enough to force the bone straight through the rest of my arm, leaving a terrifying fount of blood and cause for my nausea.

"Sasuke!" was the first thing-and the last-I heard before I felt my head begin to spin and my eyesight started to darken. When I finally lost my ability to see clearly, I felt my body crumple to the ground as I lost all consciousness.

As soon as I woke up, I recognized the voice that had called my name…

_Aoi…_

/\\

Authoress: hmm…should I continue?…I don't know…I think I might just…alright, it's been decided, I shall continue!…I hope this chapter doesn't get too long…ehehehe…

/\\

(Neji's POV)

"Neji…that was Gaara…he's coming over right now…" Hinata whispered as softly as she could as soon as she pressed the 'end' button on her cell phone. I looked up at her and smiled as I opened my arms and she gladly curled into my lap. She nuzzled her head against my chest as soon as I wrapped my arms around her and hugged her gently.

"Have they found Aoi?" I asked, feeling her shake her head against my shirt. As soon as Sasuke had collapsed, Aoi bolted. Shikamaru, Kiba, Choji, and Sakura had been sent out to find her, but that was four hours ago. In those four hours, Sasuke had been taken to the hospital and tended to, but the doctors were at a loss for why he was still unconscious. I wasn't going to freely tell them that he had a severe fear of blood-he wouldn't want me to diverge that information so easily-and that he had passed out due to his phobia, not pain or anything else physical.

"Neji…why haven't Sasuke's parents gotten here yet?" Hinata questioned quietly as she looked up at me. I smiled from the sheer irony of it, then glanced down at her. I kissed her lightly, so glad to just be able to hold her-even though it hadn't even been half a day since I was banished from our house.

"When Sasuke filled out his information for school, he conveniently forgot to ever mention his parents or Itachi…he gave Kankuro's number and address in case of emergencies…" I replied, smirking. "I'm sure he doesn't want his parents to know he's in the hospital right now…they would probably sue the school and have Aoi placed in jail for the rest of her life…"

"They probably would…" Hinata agreed before glancing over at our unconscious friend. He hadn't moved since they brought him in, but I knew his reaction could have been worse…he could have snapped-like I had seen him do once before. _He had to be removed from the club under police escort…and handcuffs…_I remembered while tightening my grip around Hinata-as if I was assuring myself that she was really there…and wasn't leaving me. "Aishiteru, Neji…"

"I love you too, Hinata…" I whispered into her hair before placing a soft kiss on the top of her head. It still amazed me that she had similar feelings for me, let alone to have been the one to make the first move-that was one thing that I could never forget. "Remember my birthday?" I wasn't able to see her face, but I could feel her cheeks heat up through my jacket.

/_Flashback\\_

_I leaned against the doorframe, admiring the beautiful girl spinning around in the middle of her room in a lavender kimono and black obi. I had seen Hinata in a kimono before, but there was something different with how this one hung…how it clung to her curves to show of her amazing body. I had never been so…turned on by just looking at her before. She spun around again, checking her reflection in the mirrors surrounding her. I was far enough to the left that she couldn't see me in the mirror, which I was thankful for. Just being able to watch her from this distance was enough for me, even though I could think of a few more…physically pleasing things I could do with her. Without even realizing it, I had sighed due to the turn my thoughts had taken._

_Hinata eeped and spun around to look at me. The furious blush on her cheeks clashed with the color of her kimono, but I found it adorable. She looked down at the floor as I took a step into the room and mumbled something about taking too much time getting dressed. _

_"You look beautiful," I said softly as I took another step towards her. Hinata blushed even more from my comment and she looked up at me. "I told your parents I would bring you as soon as you were done getting dressed." It still amazed me that her parents trusted me enough to leave us alone in the house together-all the servants had been given the night off and my aunt, uncle, and Hanabi had already left to go to the restaurant, which left the house void of people, except for us. What even amazed me even more was that my uncle had given me a surprise (early) birthday gift in the form of a small, black convertible only a week before. I knew it was simply because he didn't exactly like that Hinata and I had come home at midnight that one night…I explained it away saying we needed to wait for Sasuke…and I got my own car out of it. I was still amazed that Hiashi didn't notice Hinata was so drunk she couldn't even walk. Sometimes I think he was just ignoring everything around him…_

_"A-Arigatou, Neji-nii-san…" Hinata mumbled as she played with her fingers, looking back down at the floor. Even after that night I discovered Hinata and I held mutual feelings, she still called me 'Neji-nii-san.' It was a little strange…but I kind of liked the ring it had._

_"I've never seen that kimono before…" I commented as I moved even closer to my cousin, raising an eyebrow when I saw the blush on her face flame up. _What is she thinking about?_ I wondered to myself. I froze in misstep when I saw Hinata's hands stop moving. _

_"I…just got it…for you…" the last part of her reply was whispered, which forced my perverted side to go into full swing. _FOR ME!_ I didn't say anything, not wanting to let Hinata think I had taken her innocent comment in the wrong way-she would never do something like that and I knew it. _But a guy can't help but dream…_I added inwardly before taking a final step, now mere inches away from Hinata._

_"Arigatou, then, Hinata-sama…" I said softly as I raised her chin with a finger and looked into her eyes. Acting on an impulse, I bowed my head and placed a soft kiss on her slightly opened lips. As I pulled back, I realized that that could be considered our first kiss. It was strange to think that I knew her feelings for me, and visa versa, for two whole weeks, but this is the first time I had actually acted on my emotions. I didn't even get a chance to pull away more than an inch before Hinata had wrapped her thin arms around my neck and pulled herself up enough to press her lips on my own. Forgetting that this was my cousin, we were in her father's house at the moment, that we were expected to meet her father in a few minutes, and…that I didn't want to force her to do anything…I blew all caution, and sense, to the wind and kissed her back._

_I was surprised when Hinata opened her mouth and gently licked my lips, but what truly blew my mind was when I felt her small hands wrap themselves around my larger one and bring it to rest on her chest, right above her heart. I was so amazed with her actions, my mouth dropped open and I only regained the ability to think when I felt Hinata's body move even closer to mine. I finally understood the expression 'heart skipped a beat' when her tongue probed my mouth with the gentlest of touches. I had never kissed someone before, but neither had Hinata, so I wasn't completely embarrassed when, in an attempt to return the kiss, my teeth clicked against hers. Even with my eyes closed, I knew Hinata was smiling, which made a smile grace my lips._

_After a few failed attempts, I finally got the hang of the 'kissing' thing, but forgot how to breathe when Hinata pulled away and I looked at her flushed face. "N-Neji-nii-san…" Hinata said softly as she tried not to bite her lips, then smiled. "Happy Birthday…" As if kissing Hinata wasn't enough to make my mouth drop and my lower body begin to heat up, what she did next probably killed off brain cells. My eyes were transfixed on her arms, which had reached around to untie her obi as soon as she had pulled away from me. The piece of black silk fell to the ground and (lo and behold, more brain cells fried) she let the rest of her outfit slide off of her body onto the floor._

_"H-Hinata…" I couldn't help but stare at her-gloriously nude-body with hungry eyes. She was even more beautiful than I had ever hoped to imagine and far bolder than I had thought. Hinata smiled gently, then moved even closer to me, pressing her unclothed body against me. I smiled when I heard her gasp softly, knowing exactly what had surprised her. Now, any man who could look at her naked body and _not _be turned on by it…had to have been castrated…_

_"N-Neji…" I could hear the questioning tone in her voice…but not fear or regret-what I had been imagining her to sound like. My mental image of a shy, innocent Hinata was shattered completely when I felt her fingers slip underneath my shirt long enough to brush against my abdomen, but she pulled back when my muscles underneath her fingers contracted-damn being very ticklish. She looked up at me and smiled, probably seeing that I was trying not to laugh, but a chuckle escaped. I wrapped my arms around her and held her a moment before moving my head so I could whisper into her ear._

_"Are you sure, Hinata?" I asked, letting one hand travel to the dip in her back, then around to her hip. She shivered as I allowed my fingers to move even lower, now tracing the side and back of her thigh, but she didn't move away or protest. On the contrary, she moved into my touch while her hands returned to my stomach and traced the muscles underneath my shirt._

_"Un…" she replied softly, which made the corner of my mouth curve. She wasn't afraid in the least…but I could feel my heart pounding in my chest-anxiety taking over. I couldn't help but have all types of thoughts running though my head, but my biggest concern was if I would hurt her. Hinata's hands wrapped around my wrists and, for a moment, I was sure she was pulling my hands away from her-to stop me, but she did something so un-Hinata-ish, I began to believe she was either drunk or stoned. Hinata slowly pulled me towards her bed on the far corner of the room and gracefully sat down as soon as she reached it. I, on the other hand, tripped over my own feet and fell on top of her. I was about ready to apologize, but stopped when I heard Hinata's giggle. _

_"Nani?" I couldn't help but ask as I looked into her face. She looked so…content…I couldn't help but kiss her gently, which I discovered to be a double-edged sword as my pants began feeling a little _too_ tight. As an answer to my question, Hinata tugged gently on my shirt, then raised her hands to pull my customary bandana off of my forehead. As soon as she had set down the piece of black material down near the bed, she began to remove my shirt, which proved to be difficult. It took a moment between the two of us to untangle my hair from the shirt's zipper, which made Hinata cover a smile. _

_Instead of letting her remove my pants as well, I quickly undid them while she was turned, folding my shirt and putting it next to my bandana. It amazed me how calm she could be right now, especially considering that neither of us were 'experienced' in the least. As soon as I had taken off my pants-not without a fight first-and boxers, I followed Hinata's example and folded them and placed them with the rest of my clothes. As embarrassed as Hinata must have been when she had allowed me to study her nude body, it was nothing in comparison to what I felt. Blushing furiously, I looked at the bed while trying to cover myself, but I lost all dignity I had once held when Hinata pulled my hands away from my body and wrapped them around her waist as she slid into my lap._

_The shock of pleasure that ran through my body as her soft skin rubbed against my erection was…indescribable. I bit back a moan as I tightened my arms around Hinata and rested my head on her shoulder. I had dreamt about this moment for what seemed to be a lifetime, but I was surprised to discover that I was content with just being able to hold her-not that I wouldn't mind doing far more X-rated things with her._

_"It might hurt…" I said softly, kissing the exposed flesh of her neck. I heard Hinata mumble 'I know,' but there wasn't a sound of protest in her voice, so I moved one hand to her round behind, while my other moved to cup a breast, which made Hinata gasp in pleasure. _

_I discovered her soft cries were addictive as I traced my fingers down her side until both of my hands rested on her butt, pulling her closer to my chest. Hinata, smiling sweetly at me, somehow knew exactly what my body wanted even before _I_ knew it. She raked her fingers across my back as her lips descended on my chest, planting kisses across my collarbones and sternum. Those soft caresses warmed my body even more than my dreams had ever done, but, as Hinata began to slowly rock her hips back and forth, I felt the last shreds of my sanity slipping. _

_"H-Hinata," I gasped, wanting her so badly at that moment, but I reminded myself that I couldn't take her too quickly-I would never do anything to hurt her. She complied to my unasked request as one of her hands left my back and relocated itself on the soft skin of my member. The heat and sensation of her hand touching me _there_ was enough to make me breathless. I couldn't help but groan softly as those small fingers shyly traced the most private area of my body. I moaned softly again when her fingers reached the tip of my penis, coating her fingertips in pre-cum. _

_"I-I want you…" Hinata whispered, her voice filled with ecstasy as I was quick to acquiesce to her soft demand. I gently laid her down on the bed as my mind raced. I would never admit it to anyone, except for Hinata, that I was petrified at that moment, seeing her with such a trusting expression on her face. It amazed me that she was just as new to this as I was, yet she was calmly tracing her fingers across my chest, in an attempt to soothe me._

_I returned the caress as my body relocated itself between her pale thighs. Hinata gasped when one of my hands brushed against her breast, and her gasps quickly turned into moans of pleasure as I touched the warm flesh between her thighs with my other hand. _

_"N-Neji…" I nearly lost control when I heard her whisper my name. Giving in to my own desires, I removed my hand from her and replaced it with my engorged member. I bent down to kiss her face gently as I slowly slid into her, studying her expression for any indicants that she was in pain._

_Seeing only a loving glimmer in her pale eyes, I continued my entry, but froze when I felt something blocking my path. "Hinata?" I said questioningly as I gingerly brushed her flushed cheek. She merely smiled and nuzzled her head into my neck. Taking that as her reply, I pulled back slightly and thrust into her, quickly breaking the barrier. I remained still as I studied Hinata's face, immediately noticing her eyes had become watery. Apprehension filled me as I watched a sole tear leak from her eye. "H…Hinata? I hurt you, didn't I? Gome-"_

_"It only hurt a little," Hinata cut me off, shifting her body slightly to allow me to fully enter her. "Onegai…don't stop." I smiled slightly when I heard her and brushed my lips against her own in response. I was happy to oblige, slowly pulling out of her, then drove myself into her again and again, each time speeding up until our bodies moved in perfect rhythm. _

_I felt myself coming, recognizing the sensation from all of my 'moments' in the shower or whatnot, and I couldn't help but begin changing our rhythm into an erratic motion. I bit my lip so I wouldn't cry out-a reflex from earlier experiments- as I came explosively inside Hinata. She moaned as I felt her walls contract around my member._

_I took a few deep breaths as I tried to steady myself on my arms, but collapsed on top of her. I wondered for a moment if I was too heavy for her, but the thought disappeared when she wrapped her arms around my and began drawing circles in my back with her nails._

_"H-Hinata…Daijoubu ka?"_

_"I'm fine, Neji-nii-san…" I smiled at the honorific, and turned my head so I could look into Hinata's eyes. "Happy Birthday."_

_"I wasn't expecting such a wonderful present…" I mumbled, trying not to show how exhausted I was, but failed terribly. Hinata giggled at my response and brushed her lips against my own._

_"…I'm glad you liked your present…" she replied softly, then smiled as one of her hands came up to brush a few stray hairs away from my face. "Aishiteru, Neji."_

_"Aishiteru…"_

_/End Flashback\\_

(Neji's POV…again!…that was a loooong lemon…yay!)

"Neji…"

"Nani?" I tilted Hinata's head so I could look at her and smiled when I saw the rosy blush on her cheeks. "You never told me what you would be getting me for my birthday…" I smirked when her blush deepened. It was a family joke that my birthday landed on the same day as Valentine's Day, so every year, I got pink, red, or white things…and it annoyed the life out of me. What had made matters worse was that I had been wondering for weeks before my birthday what she would do for my birthday-and all kinds of kinky fantasies came to mind. I sighed softly, remembering that we no longer lived in the same house, let alone were _allowed_ to see each other, so any chance of any of those dreams becoming a reality was very small. The sole reason Hinata was in my arms at this moment was that her father still assumed she was at a drama club practice.

"I didn't want to ruin the surprise…" Hinata commented, her smile immediately making me curious. I tightened my embrace and rested my chin on her head. "At least it wasn't something pink…"

"That's good…if it was, I'd have to do _something _terrible…" I replied, smiling perversely when Hinata jabbed me in the stomach at my joke.

"Kaiwaii," a deep voice commented as my eyes shot up to the doorway and I sighed in relief. Instead of my uncle, who I was sure was about to arrive at any minute, was standing Gaara and Temari. Gaara smirked as he watched Hinata untangle herself from me then quickly get up, her face a bright crimson.

"How's Sasuke doing?" Temari asked as she glared at Gaara before her gaze shifted to the motionless form on the hospital bed. I sighed and pointed at the bandages on his arm, then shook my head. "So, what exactly happened?"

"He got in a fight with a friend of ours…" Hinata replied softly as she took a seat in a chair across the room from me. _Damn other visitors…_I thought for a moment.

"And got his ass whooped?" Temari stated in amazement. She knew as well as Gaara and I did that there were few things that Sasuke could be beaten at…and fighting wasn't one of them, unless he was against Gaara. Yet, even then, it would end up being a stale mate, since Gaara would never unleash his full capabilities on our best friend, no matter how much Sasuke deserved it.

"He only got hit twice…but passed out when he saw the open fracture on his arm…" I commented and, for a moment, I swore Sasuke frowned in his sleep, as if he heard me talking about his weakness towards blood.

"It must have been a really big guy to break his arm like that," Temari replied as she studied the massive amounts of bandages around Sasuke's forearm. Gaara snorted as he took a seat next to Hinata and studied the Uchiha's face.

"Iie…one scrawny girl…" Sasuke whispered as he cracked one eye open to glare at Temari, then carefully sat up, the entire time, his red eyes fixed on the bandage around his arm.

"How long were you awake?" I asked, and the glare I got in return was enough to tell me he was awake during my 'snuggling' with Hinata. He wasn't one for being a spectator to public displays of affection, but being unable to _leave,_ and not have to view such an act, must have aggravated him.

"So, what _girl_ did this to you?" Temari said curiously as she sat down in the chair next to me, studying Sasuke's next motion with a raised eyebrow. Sasuke lifted his unharmed arm and gave Gaara the middle finger as he studied the ceiling of the room. "What did _you_ do, Gaara?"

"Made a bet…" Gaara replied calmly, his voice not holding a single hint as to what the bet was. If Sasuke hadn't told me already, then I would have been just as curious as his blonde sister. She glared at him for a moment, but gave up on thinking of a way to get him to divulge more information.

"When can I leave?" Sasuke asked as his gaze shifted to me.

"They wanted to keep you overnight…" I smirked when I heard Sasuke reply to that under his breath.

"Like hell I will…" Gaara shared my expression, knowing that Sasuke, like the redhead and myself, hated being in hospitals. Ironic that we met each other _in_ hospitals while we were, in Gaara's case, strapped to a bed, in Sasuke's case (both times), wrapped in bandages, or, in my case, either in a cast or visiting. We met Gaara while Sasuke was in for an interesting spot on his neck-which we never figured out what exactly the mark was from-and Gaara just happened to be next door to Sasuke, screaming his head off about something, and I just happened to be visiting when Gaara got out of his straps, Sasuke decided to go AWOL, and there wasn't a doctor, nurse, or security guard in sight.

After the first few hours of being Gaara's only hostage, I figured out that the doctors were doing all kinds of tests on Gaara, trying to figure out what was causing his (long) list of mental problems. Starting with automysophobia (fear of dirt) and ending with somniphobia (fear of sleeping), between which came his other quirks. I still made fun of Gaara, from time to time, of his inane fear of doctors-the reason he had originally been tied to the bed. I tried to take Gaara's 'hostage situation' seriously…but those hospital gowns just cannot make me see a scrawny ten year old red head, who didn't even reach my chest at the time, with big green eyes and pale skin, threatening.

For a moment, I wondered how Gaara had convinced himself to walk into the hospital, and almost asked him, but I saw the slight shaking of his arms as I looked at him. He would do anything for the people most important to him, especially Sasuke, which was probably another reason the three of us became fast friends. Most people didn't know how loyal Gaara was, but even fewer knew how many of his fears he was forced to face each day _because_ of that loyalty.

"Uchiha Sasuke?" a nurse asked as she entered the room and her eyes quickly searched the room and a displeased smile came to her face. "I'm sorry, but visiting hours are over. Uchiha-san needs his rest."

"I'm not staying the night," Sasuke commented sourly as he returned the woman's irritated look. I smirked when I heard her huff-obviously Sasuke won their glaring contest-and stalk out of the room. I assumed she was going to go get Sasuke's doctor.

"So, who's going to stay with Sasuke tonight?" Temari asked. I shook my head, realizing she hadn't heard about my predicament yet.

"I'm living with him right now."

"Oh, why?" She studied me for a moment, then her gaze flew to Hinata and she nodded her head in understanding. "I'm guessing the old man didn't take it too well."

"Well, short of being forced out my home and told I'm never allowed to see Hinata again, outside school, it went very well," I retorted sarcastically, my eyes shifting from Temari to Hinata. She smiled softly, somehow reassuring me that everything would be fine. I just wanted to know exactly what she was planning.

/\\

Authoress: should I continue?…hmmm…I think I may…just because I'm on a role today! Yay!…it's nice when you don't feel well enough to go to school on a Monday morning…people must think I'm some party animal or something…I'm never in school on Mondays…but if they knew that the reason was I got such little sleep Sunday night…(thank insomnia for that…) my reputation as a bad-ass dominatrix would be ruined…I didn't do anything to get that rep, I swear!…except a lil' leather here…and a 'bad' boyfriend there…and a few scandalous rumors…it all adds up…

/\\

(Sasuke's POV)

I sighed to myself as I heard the last few of my 'guests' leave. The entire drama club had to come visit me once the doctors finally released me. Now, only Neji and Hinata were left and I didn't feel like having a Hyuuga war on my hands, so I was going to let them deal with how Hinata was getting home without her father finding out she was with Neji the whole time.

Neji had already gone to sleep and Hinata was cleaning up after everyone, which left me to lay on the couch without anything to do. I stared at the white ceiling as I recalled my 'fight' with Aoi, if it could even be called that. I had never been injured so badly in a fight that was so short, and especially without inflicting a single wound on my opponent. I sighed softly, knowing that, even if there had been an opening in Aoi's defenses, I wouldn't have hit her. Not because she was a girl, I had hit her before, but because I didn't want to cause her anymore pain.

_What did I do to her?_ I wondered to myself as I let my good arm drape over my eyes and I took a deep breath. _Neji told me no one's seen her since the fight…but no one even knows where she lives…Shikamaru and Kiba hacked into the school computers…there's no information on Aoi except a mailing address…not even someone to contact…if something happens to her._

"Sasuke-kun…do you need anything?" Hinata asked politely as she entered the living room and gently touched my shoulder, obviously unsure if I was awake.

"Iie…just tell Neji to keep it down…" I commented with a dry chuckle as I peeked out from underneath my arm and saw the blush on her cheeks. I also saw the smile on her face, which made me, for the first time, realize that she and Neji were actually _in love_…not just lusting after each other-not that I ever thought that was all they were doing. I never believed in love…crushes, yes, but they were fueled by lust and physical attractions, and I was one who considered marriage to be a union between two people who could stand each other…maybe if they were lucky, even _like_ one another. But none of my theories on couples panned out where Hinata and Neji were concerned, which only made me begin to wonder what it would feel like to love…to be loved in return.

"Goodnight, Sasuke-kun…" Hinata said softly as she brushed her lips against my forehead and left the room. Hinata was the only person, I could remember, who kissed me goodnight. I remembered the first time she actually did it was when I was sleeping over at the Hyuuga mansion, my very first sleepover. She had given a peck on my, Gaara, and even Neji's cheeks before we went up to Neji's room for a night of games and scary stories. Neji was obviously used to his cousin's gesture, but Gaara and I stood there, stunned as we blushed furiously, touching our cheeks. Ever since then, Hinata mothered Gaara and me, always spoiling us terribly. If anyone else had seen her around us, they'd say she had a crush on us, but it was far from that. Hinata saw us as her brothers and she knew what our lives had been like, so she simply took the role of a mother for both of us. It was a strange concept to Gaara, considering his mother died when he was just a baby, and I couldn't remember very much about my mother, except for the last few days of her life and my adoptive mother was no kind of parent, so it was welcomed.

I felt my lips curve up slightly as I realized that Hinata was the only female I ever felt comfortable around and I knew it wasn't because she wasn't part of my fan clubs, but that she actually knew me and cared about me still. _But no other girls know anything about me…even Aoi…but that was why I agreed to Gaara's bet…because if she doesn't know me…she really can't hurt me…_I sighed at that thought and took my arm away from my face. The sudden increase in light made me squint for a moment, but my eyes quickly adjusted and I found myself staring at the window. I was surprised to see that it was night, since everyone had left sometime in the afternoon (which was also when Neji and Hinata went to 'bed'). Even though it was dark outside, I could see a figure sitting out on the ground a distance from the front door. From the figure's shape, I couldn't tell who it was, but the long blonde hair was a dead giveaway.

I slowly got up, making sure not to bend too much due to the large bruise on my side, and shuffled towards the door. The drugs the doctors had given me for the pain had finally started kicking in as I reached for the doorknob and pulled the large door open, surprised for a moment when I heard the pattering of rain. An arc of lightening lit up the sky and, for a moment, I saw Aoi's face. Her face was soaking wet, but I couldn't tell if it was just from the rain, or if she had been crying as well. Her knees were bought up to her chest and her arms were wrapped around her legs. I shivered when a gust of wind hit me, then realized that I could see my breath slightly.

Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Aoi slowly stand up and turn to leave, her eyes landing on me for a moment before she turned her back to me. "Oi, dobe," I called, but my voice was almost drowned out by the clap of thunder. In the little bit of light that filtered out from the house, I could see she flinched when I called her, but she did stop walking. "Get inside before you freeze." For a moment, I wasn't sure if she'd heard me, but she slowly turned around and looked at me. She walked up to me as if she was walking to her own execution and, when she finally reached me, her expression reflected the same mood.

"Gomen…" she whispered softly, keeping her head down as low as she could, her eyes fixed on the ground under her feet. "I didn't mea-"

"_Inside_," I retorted as I stepped back and clutched the door as the room began spinning. After a moment, everything righted itself and I looked up at Aoi and saw her concerned expression. "Get inside before you catch a cold." Aoi smiled sadly when she heard my bitter tone, but followed me inside.

"Sasuke…I'm really so-"

"If you keep apologizing, I'm going to hit you," I retorted coldly, instantly regretting my choice of words and tone. I sighed and turned to look at Aoi, but froze when I felt her against me, her hands balled up in my shirt and the water from her dripping clothes soaking through mine. She was shaking and, though her chattering teeth nearly covered it up, I could hear her sob. "Dobe…I…" I couldn't bring myself to tell her I was sorry…that I didn't mean what I just said, or that I was sorry for doing whatever it was that got her so angry today.

"Does it hurt?" Aoi said softly as she lifted her head from my chest and looked at my bandaged arm. I shook my head, then raised an eyebrow. Under all of her drenched clothing, I could see the outline of something wrapped around her own arms.

"Iie…the doctors gave me pain killers…" I bit my tongue before I sarcastically commented on the fact I had eighteen stitches up my forearm and metal rods keeping the bones together. _That probably would have made her feel even guiltier_, I realized as I brought my other arm up to wrap around her shaking form. Aoi smiled as she leaned into my, rigid, embrace. For a moment, I allowed her to rest her head on me as I tried not to wince as she unknowingly pressed against the large bruise on my side.

"Why are you being so nice to me?" Aoi asked softly as her fists loosened themselves from my shirt and she brought a hand up to my face. As her hand touched my cheek, I realized that she was freezing and, with a quick study of her face, I could see her lips were turning a strange shade of blue. Looking into her eyes, her words finally hit me. _Nice?…Am I such a prick usually? _Normally, such a thought would have made me snort in laughter. I knew I was less than kind to most people, but I didn't realize how cruel I was to Aoi until I saw the faint glimmer of tears in her eyes.

I opened my mouth to answer, but couldn't think of any response, except for that I was an evil bastard with many issues. "I…um…"

"The great Uchiha is at a loss for words?" Aoi said softly, smiling as she rubbed her thumb against my cheek. I couldn't help but lean into her gentle caress. Her smile turned into an almost-mocking grin as she continued her stroking.

I was about to answer her sarcastic comment when I looked at her and momentarily lost my ability to breathe. Looking at Aoi in this light, without bangs covering the majority of her face and makeup on, I could see how beautiful she really was. Acting on impulse, I bowed my head and pressed my lips against Aoi's. I pulled back an instant later, my face warming up as I adopted a new mantra: _I shouldn't have done that._

"…did you just…kiss me?" Aoi asked, disbelief on her face as she looked up at me and brought two fingers up to her lips to touch them. My blush deepened, which only led to Aoi raising a blonde eyebrow at me, then smiling. "Do you _like_ me, Sasuke-_kun_?" Her voice was filled with mockery, which made me adopt my usual glare and an almost unnoticeable pout.

_Like hell I'd ever tell her that I-_ I lost my train of thought when Aoi stood up on the tips of her toes and touched her lips to my own, but didn't pull away. Instead, she wrapped her arms around my neck and gently traced the contours of my lips with her tongue. Out of surprise, I opened my mouth and Aoi's tongue slid into my mouth, rubbing against my tongue. Quickly getting used to this new sensation, I returned the motions as I pulled Aoi tightly against my chest with my good arm.

I was amazed at how _good_ it felt to hold Aoi in my arms and kiss her. I could feel my heartbeat quicken as Aoi wove her fingers into my hair and pressed her lower body against mine. I couldn't help but smirk when I heard Aoi moan softly into my mouth.

"Sasuke, you should be in bed by no-" I froze, as did Aoi, when we heard Neji's voice. He, too, looked surprised as I pulled away from Aoi and turned to look in the direction his voice came from. "…Hi, Aoi…"

"…anou…" I couldn't help but smirk when I saw the blush creep onto Aoi's face, but I was sure that mine must have been worse due to my pale skin.

"It is two in the morning…what _are_ you two doing?" Neji asked, looking from Aoi to me, then back to the blonde. I could have asked him the same question, since he was standing there in only boxers with a cup of tea in hand. How exactly he passed us, and not notice either one of us, in order to make tea in the first place was beyond me.

"So, h-how are you doing, Neji-kun?" Aoi asked, chuckling nervously as she shifted from one foot to the other. Neji raised an eyebrow and glanced down at his tea before sighing. He looked back up at Aoi, then to me with a smirk on his face.

"Sasuke, you better get her out of those clothes before Hinata throws a fit…" _Perverted bastard…_I thought to myself.

"Hinata's here too!"

"…kami-sama…" I shook my head, my ears still ringing from Aoi's loud outburst, but then I looked at her and was immediately ashamed. Her school uniform was soaking; it clung to her like a second skin and she also was shivering slightly. "Aoi…y-you can borrow some of my clothes for now…" I said softly, my blush returning with a vengeance.

"…arigatou…" she whispered in reply as Neji continued his walk back to his room, mumbling something about crazy people. I turned to look at her and sighed. "I guess that answers my question…" Aoi commented as she smiled at me, unweaving her fingers from my hair before she stepped back. She put her hands behind her back and looked down at the floor for a moment before looking back up at me. "…Sasuke…was that your first kiss?" I knew her face lit up as I turned my head to the side in an attempt to salvage my dignity. She giggled softly as she leaned forward and brushed her lips against my cheek. "Kaiwaii!"

"…" I frowned, trying my hardest not to blush furiously-but lost when my gaze landed on Aoi's face. That little fact about me had gotten her to smile, so I decided against correcting her. _This was the first time…I wanted to be kissed…Itachi and that bastard don't count…_ "…you're cold…" Now that the room wasn't spinning and I wasn't caught up in 'the moment,' I could clearly see Aoi was no longer merely shivering, but shaking violently.

"Heh…it was raining outside and-"

"Baka…come on…" I slid my hand around Aoi's and gently pulled her towards my room, all while mentally wondering how bad my room was. If I had cleaned recently, I wouldn't be _so_ ashamed, but on the other hand, I could have my days were I refuse to pick up anything. My eye twitched when I remembered I had thrown everything around when I had first gotten back from the hospital…in attempts of finding clothes that weren't as bloodstained as the ones I had on. I vaguely remembered that _those_ clothes were thrown on my bed and weren't moved since. I could only hope Aoi wouldn't notice my stained clothes-and the rest of the mess I had made-when we reached my bedroom door. As I opened the door, I sighed in relief. _Thank you, Hinata…_I mentally whispered as I looked around the room and found my room cleaned. All my clothes were gone from the floor, she had even made my bed. I decided, as Aoi looked around then sat on my bed, that Hinata would be getting a large gift one of these days.

That idea was scrapped when I noticed what Hinata had somehow missed in her cleaning frenzy. _Shimatta…_ I stared at the books stacked neatly, in order, on my desk. Naturally, Aoi's eyes followed mine and she smiled when she saw the piles of books. "You read Jiraiya's books?" My eye twitched slightly at the thought of it. She now knew something about me that only Neji, Gaara, and Hinata had known-I was addicted to romance novels.

"…hai…" I said as softly as I could. I inwardly knew this meant she could blackmail me, but how else could I explain away the twenty-some-odd books on my desk. I turned my head away from Aoi so she couldn't see the blush on my cheeks, but from the giggle, I guessed she had caught a glimpse of my pink cheeks anyways.

"They're interesting, ne?" I couldn't help but drop my jaw in amazement. _No one_ else I knew read the same books as me-let alone the girl I thought I had nothing in common with. She slid off the back and stalked towards my desk, checking out my collection. I could hear her mumbling titles under her breath, along with snickers. "You've got almost everything…a nice collection…but you're missing the limited edition of Make-Out Violence…"

I couldn't help but inwardly cry at her comment. _I couldn't get it…_ I had tried so hard, but the elusive book was always out of my grasp. Aoi, somehow knowing exactly what I was thinking, smirked.

"So, what's your favorite?" She asked slyly as she looked up from the books. I raised an eyebrow, wondering what she was getting at, but then realized I didn't _mind that_ she knew. "Personally, I'd say Make Out Island, Volume Two, is tied with Icha Icha Paradise for the best…"

"Volume Two?" I couldn't help but repeat. I had nearly bought the first volume, but quickly put it back down when I realized it was part of the Yaoi collection. Always keeping up with Jiraiya's works, though, I knew that there wasn't a second volume out yet.

"Un…I've got it in with the old man…he lets me read every story even before his editors see it…" Aoi turned around to face me, smiling. "So, what's your favorite?"

"…" I coughed as my gaze shifted around the room. "Icha Icha Paradise…" She smiled when she heard my answer, then turned to look at my collection one more time before standing up straight. _Damn her…she'll never stop making fun of me for this…_ I looked at my floor and sighed. "You're getting my floor wet," I retorted as I stared at the dark spot on my carpet where Aoi was standing. She smiled sheepishly and scratched the back of her head. "You know where the bathroom is, I'll find you some clothes… and take a shower while you're at it." Aoi blushed a deep crimson at the last part of my comment, as did I. I hadn't meant to sound so…perverted…but it came out that way. I watched her walk out of the room, wondering how I had gotten myself into this predicament, but sighed when I remembered this was my fault. _I shouldn't have let her in…_I thought to myself as I studied the cast on my arm. I sighed again as I went rummaging through my drawers in search of suitable clothes for Aoi. I quickly pulled out one of my favorite blue shirts, one that had my family's symbol embroidered on the back, as well as a pair of white shorts, and that was when I started to have problems. _…under…wear?_ I tried to shake the perverted thought, but the image of Aoi in boxers drifted into my mind….and I couldn't help but find it quite pleasing on the eyes…er, mind. That train of thought only led to the inevitable realization-Aoi was naked in my bathroom at this moment and Gaara had taught me how to pick locks. A small side of me seriously considered peeping in on her.

_Not that I would!_ I exclaimed inwardly, but sighed as my perverted side retorted, _why else would you tell her to take a shower in your bathroom!_ Sitting down on my bed, I let my conscience and perversion battle over what to do.

_Admit it! You would love to see Aoi completely in the buff!_

_/sputter/ WOULD NOT!_

_All wet and hot from a shower, with a fluffy white towel hiding her voluptuous curves from you…she gasps softly as you break down the door with a single kick and enter the bathroom._

_STOP THAT YOU PERV!_

_You watch as she drops the towel in surprise then your eyes wash over her body, immediately noticing how unbelievably sexy she is as she tries to hide herself, blushing innocently._

_…blushing…_

_Yep, you've got it. Her blush is nothing compared to what you'll do next. Stepping over the towel, you lean into the still steamy shower and turn it back on…_

_…hot water?_

_Of course! Next, you slowly remove your shirt. She takes in your perfectly sculpted body and gasps again as you wrap your fingers around her arms and pull her against your chest._

_…oh my…_

_And it doesn't stop there, my friend. Oh, no! You shiver when you feel her warm fingers trace your waistband, asking for permission._

_What next!_

_You nod your head slowly as you pull both of your bodies into the shower. She quickly removes your drenched pants and boxers with an expert hand, then, as if the sensation of the pulsating water on your fully erect member wasn't enough, she touches you._

_NO!_

_Oh, yes! Slowly at first, curiously letting her fingers trace every inch of your throbbing erection, but then she kneels down and-_

_BANG!_

I blinked, wondering if it was possible for a person's conscience to pass out due to the severity of his/her mental nosebleed, but then I realized that I hadn't imagined that sound. Forgetting for a moment the bruises around my torso, I flew out of my bed.

As soon as my feet hit the floor, I cursed colorfully and my hands moved to hold my side. _God…damn…that hurts…_I said inwardly as I, still massaging my ribs gently, shuffled towards the bathroom and knocked on the door. I could still hear the shower running, but Aoi didn't answer. "Oi, dobe!"

I waited a moment, but there was no answer. Sighing, I knocked again, a little harder this time, but I couldn't help but feel like something was wrong with the blonde. Giving up on the knocking, I banged my fist on the door, but there still wasn't an answer.

"What's wrong, Sasuke-kun?" I spun around when I heard Hinata's voice. She looked at me curiously for a moment before her eyes shifted to the locked door behind me. "Can you unlock the door?" I could see worry in her face, which didn't surprise me. What _did_ surprise me was that, as soon as I had the door unlocked (thanks to one of Hinata's hair clips), she flew into the room and closed the door before I could even see the inside of the tiled room. I continued to stare at the door in front of me until, what seemed like an eternity later, it opened and Hinata poked her head out. "Could you wake up Neji-nii-san? I need his help carrying Aoi…"

"Is she alright?" I asked, studying Hinata's face. She smiled sadly as she nodded her head. I could clearly see she was hiding something, so I quickly went to get Neji up. It wasn't as easy at it seems, considering Neji could probably sleep through Armageddon and not even stir. After a few minutes of shaking and "gentle" slaps on the face, Neji was awake enough to blink tiredly up at me, then realize something was wrong.

"Nnggh…you didn't have…to hit me…" Neji commented between yawns as he slowly got up and followed me towards the bathroom. By the time Neji finally shuffled his way to the doorway, Hinata had the door wide open and was leaning against the doorframe. "Daijoubu ka, Hinata?" Neji asked as I watched him wrap his arms around his little cousin. She nodded her head, but it did nothing to convince myself or Neji.

"Is it alright if Aoi sleeps in your room tonight, Sasuke-kun?" Hinata asked softly as she pulled away from the other Hyuuga. I nodded my head without even thinking about her question. I waited, as patiently as I could, while Hinata dragged Neji into the bathroom. When they finally reemerged, Neji carrying a towel-clad Aoi, I noticed something was different about the blonde idiot.

As Neji effortlessly shifted Aoi's weight in his arms, I realized what the difference was. Her long blonde hair was missing, replaced by short bits of hair that were clinging to her forehead and neck. I also could see, as Neji walked past me, that there were six strange marks on her face-three identical lines on each cheek. I quickly followed him into my room and watched helplessly as Neji laid Aoi down on my bed as gently as he could, then silently pulled me out of my room by my wrist.

"Is she alright?" I asked as I studied Neji's tense back. He didn't turn to look at me, which only made me become afraid-not that I would ever admit it. I could hear Neji sigh as he finally turned around and placed a hand on my shoulder.

"Don't…go in your bathroom…until Hinata or I clean it…" Neji commented softly as he tightened his grip on my shoulder in an attempt to calm me, but only succeeded in making me worry even more. I was about to ask why, but he shook his head. "Aoi…she passed out from either exhaustion or the fever…but…Hinata said she'll be fine…"

"…what's wrong?" Neji looked away and made the smallest of gestures with his hands. I bit my lip to stop myself from snapping at him. I knew it wasn't Neji's fault-but that didn't make me feel any better. "Go back to bed, Neji…I'll watch her…" I mumbled as I bowed my head and rested it on Neji's chest. He squeezed my shoulder again, then let go of me and took a step back. I sighed as I watched him shuffle back to bed. As soon as I could no longer see Neji, my gaze shifted to the closed door to my room. _She wouldn't…Aoi's not that kind of person…_I thought to myself, but bit my lip when I realized that I didn't even know what kind of person Aoi was, let alone what she was capable of. As much as I didn't want to admit that to myself, I did…and it hurt. _This is my fault._

"Sasuke-kun…" Hinata's voice pulled me out of my momentary guilt-trip. I looked up at her and let out a breath I hadn't realized I was holding. "Just let her sleep…I suggest you do so too…" she said softly as she stood on her tiptoes and kissed my cheek. "Don't blame yourself either, Sasuke-kun…"

I nodded my head and waited until I heard the soft click of her bedroom door as it closed before I took a step into my room. I studied the unmoving figure in my bed for a moment before I closed the door behind myself and pulled a chair from near the door to the bedside. "Usuratonkachi…" I said softly as I brushed a curl of hair away from her face. I sat down and watched her chest rising up and down underneath the thick blankets on my bed, forcing my gaze to stay away from her arms. Locking my eyes on her face, I couldn't help but blush slightly. Without the long hair to hide her face and missing the fake smile I had grown accustomed to, I could see Aoi's true face. Although lined with thin scars, she was far more beautiful like this than any other time I had seen her. Taking in a deep breath, I wrapped my hand around hers and pulled her limp arm up to my mouth to gently kiss the back of her hand. As if she knew what I had just done, Aoi smirked in her sleep and her fingers tightened around mine. I watched her mouth move soundlessly, wondering if she was actually asleep. I picked out one word in particular that, if she was awake, I probably would have snapped at her for.

_Hentai…you're a pervert too, dobe…_I thought to myself as I used my other hand to gently trace the shockingly white bandages that covered her forearms. _Baka…you ever do this again…I'll kill you myself…_

/\\

(Aoi's…oh, hell…if you haven't guessed it yet…'ere ya go…NARUTO'S POV!…/sighs/ I feel so much better now…)

I cracked up an eye and groaned softly when I saw the streams of sunlight coming through a nearby window. _I don't have a window near my bed…_I thought to myself as I stared at the dark curtains that did nothing to soften the effects of the morning light. _And I don't have curtains…especially navy blue ones…_I blinked, trying to remember what happened the night before, shutting my eyes so I wouldn't have to deal with the light anymore. _I was walking around in the rain…thinking about what I did. I hit Sasuke…I broke his arm…great, now I'm expelled. _I sighed softly at that depressing thought. There was no way Iruka could save my ass this time, which just gave me a whole new reason to love the kindhearted man. He had gotten me out of a lot of trouble in the past few months, most of it being due to my violent nature, but he had made me promise not to get into another fight. _I broke that promise…what happened after I went out for that walk?_ I remembered leaving the school and running. Running in no particular direction, but I had eventually reached a small wooden bridge. The bridge was very old and, while not something that would catch the eye, it had always given me a sense of peace to stand on the bridge, leaning over the side, to look at the river below. I then remembered something else. The water, usually calm and tranquil, was filled with ice and, when I had finally pulled myself away from the bridge's railing, I noticed it had begun raining. _I then started to walk back home…I think…_ I wasn't sure exactly what happened to me after leaving the bridge, but my eyes widened when I remembered finding out that a certain Uchiha had a secret love for Jiraiya's books. _Then…I'm…at Sasuke's! _That thought made me sit up immediately, my eyes shooting open to survey the room. Sure enough, I recognized the icy teen's bedroom, but it was at a different angle than I was used to. With another moment of studying my surroundings, I realized the unfamiliar view was due to the fact I was in his bed.

I looked down and stared at my trembling fingers which were curled around the soft piles of blankets on top of my lap. My fingers were shaking due to the fact I realized I _wasn't_ completely naked underneath the warm blankets. _That means he knows…great…the first guy to treat me…like a person…and now he'll probably never talk to me again. Why do I have to be such an idiot!_ I felt my eyes begin to water as I glanced down at the bandages on my wrists. Underneath those white strips of material, I knew that below the new diagonal lines of contusions, I would be able to see the marks of previous 'attacks.' On all of these older marks, the skin had healed over, but some were still an odd shade of lavender while others-the longer, more jagged ones-were shockingly white against my tanned flesh. I could remember all the times I promised to stop, but each time I promised, I felt as if I _could_ stop. _Nearly two years without cutting…_I thought to myself. I sighed, mentally scratching that record. One single break-up and I had gone back to it. Two years of letting my pain out by hiding, by letting others take out their pain on me…and all it took was a single red-head to return to my old ways.

It was pathetic, I knew, but I still wanted to be friends with him, if that would be possible. _Heh…I guess there are better ways to find out your boyfriend likes someone else…than to have him scream…that other guy's name…when you're…He looked really hurt about it…I guess I didn't deserve him._ I sighed again as I folded my legs underneath myself and glanced around Sasuke's room. _And now…Sasuke's going to hate me too…heh…finding out one of your friends is a guy. _I closed my eyes, but then remembered that, not only did Sasuke find out I was a guy, but I also kissed him. _Now he's really going to hate me…great…_I noticed a pile of clothing on the foot of the bed and recognized them as some of Sasuke's clothes. Smiling softly to myself, I leaned forwards and picked up the neatly folded clothes. The shirt, which was on the top of the pile, was folded in such a way that the Uchihas' fan faced upward. I let my fingers trace the white and red symbol, but my fingers froze when I heard an angry curse. I immediately recognized the voice as Sasuke's, but he sounded angrier than I had ever made him. I had noticed that, when Sasuke got angry, he usually became even more quiet and sarcastic towards people, so I had only heard him raise his voice maybe once or twice-when he had caught me sleeping during a tutoring session.

"Iie! How many times must I tell you?" I winced when I heard the raven-haired boy's voice crack from being forced to such a decibel level that the sound echoed through the house. There was a pregnant pause in which I quickly threw on the clothes Sasuke had placed on the bed and slid out of the room. I halted when I heard the house's owner huff and mutter 'fine.' Not being able to curb my curiosity, I snuck into the room I heard Sasuke's voice coming from-the kitchen. As soon as I entered the room, I noticed the boy was sitting at his kitchen table, giving the coldest glare I had ever seen to a portable phone. He slid his finger over to a button and, with a soft _beep_ from the phone, he set the black object down and sighed.

"Oi…Sasuke…" I whispered hesitantly, slightly unsure if my presence would make Sasuke even angrier than he already was. His head quickly turned in my direction and he glared at me before he looked back down at the phone on his table. I took that as a good sign, so I inched closer to him. "About…um…everything…gomen…"

Sasuke remained silent, but I could almost feel the seething hatred from the gaze I got from him as I sat down in a chair next to him. I couldn't read the boy's body language or his facial expressions past the obvious 'I'm pissed so leave me alone' vibe I got. "I guess I should have told you earlier…" _No…I didn't want to tell anyone…especially him…now he's going to treat me like everyone else…like a monster…_I sighed as I stared down at the table and noticed an ashtray sitting in front of Sasuke. It was filled with ashes and cigarette butts, but Sasuke didn't have one of the foul sticks in his mouth, so I hoped that it wasn't him who was smoking. I tried to ignore the smell of the cigarettes as I peered into Sasuke's face. I was surprised to see that his earlier expression of hatred was replaced by something I couldn't place. I froze in my seat when I got a good look at his eyes. They were blood-red, but not bloodshot. I studied his eyes for a moment, noticing that the irises themselves were red, with two distinct black spots across from each other. I had only seen eyes like that on one other person and almost hit myself when I realized what an idiot I was. _Of course Itachi is his older brother…but he looks so different with colored contacts in and his hair down…_ I remembered the few times I had seen Sasuke's brother around the quiet house, but never linked him to one of my best customers before. "Sasuke? Daijoubu?"

Sasuke took a deep breath and a hand drifted into his pants pocket for something. I watched as he pulled a box out of his pocket and brought it up to his face. Waiting until he pulled one of the cigarettes out of the carton with his mouth and effortlessly lit it with a lighter that had been sitting on the table near the ashtray, I ripped the thin stick out of his mouth and quickly put it out. _Nasty things…_ I mentally cursed as I happily watched the last few embers of the cigarette die out.

"What the hell was that for, dobe!" Sasuke asked, glaring at me with annoyance.

"Smoking is bad for you!" I retorted as I quickly pulled away the box in Sasuke's hand and the lighter in the other. "You could get cancer or something!" I heard him snort and mumble something about that being the least of his worries before his gaze returned to me and his eyes narrowed threateningly. Being used to this, seeing as it was his usual demeanor when we were alone, I shrugged and merely stared down at the pack of cigarettes.

"Give them back now," Sasuke stated, his unusual red eyes glowering at me. I shook my head and leaned back in my chair to watch the Uchiha blow up. I could almost see the vein popping out on his forehead already. _Hm…I didn't think he was such a smoker…he never smoked when I came for tutoring…and he didn't do it any other time I saw him…_ I thought to myself, slightly surprised to discover that Sasuke smoked. It didn't seem like something the stoic bastard would do, but, then again, who was I to judge odd things people did when they were alone. _It's kind of embarrassing to have the guy you're developing a crush on discover you're an amazing cross-dresser…mate..did I just…say I _liked _Sasuke!_ I blinked in surprise, then let my gaze travel to the older teen. He _was_ beautiful, I had to admit. When he wanted to be, Sasuke could be kind, but then again, he always acted like he had a stick up his ass when other people were around. _But the few times…he's been nice to me…were worth all the 'dobe' and 'usuratonkachi' comments…_I inwardly sighed. _Of course I had a crush on him…why else would I call out **his** name of all names? But I never admitted it to myself…like that…before…well, he won't like me the same way…especially now that he knows I'm a guy…_ I lost the ability to think when Sasuke leaned across the table and brushed his lips against my forehead.

"…" I stared, openmouthed, at the Uchiha as he stood up and raked a hand through his spiky hair.

"Do you want something to eat?" he asked, his gaze fixed on some point to my right. I unconsciously nodded my head, still amazed that he _kissed _me. Sasuke turned around and walked towards one of the cabinets. I watched him as he rummaged through the large cabinet and began taking out various baking goods. My gaze was transfixed on his body. He _was _angry, but none of his anger was directed at me. _Whoever he was on the phone with…that's why he's so angry?_ I continued to study his movements. His hesitation over every movement he made screamed that he was worried about something. I almost smiled when I saw Sasuke taking quick, nearly unnoticeable glances in my direction before he quickly turned his back to me and continued his work on mixing some kind of batter.

"What are you making?" I asked, stifling a snicker when Sasuke jumped slightly at the sound of my voice. He didn't answer me, so, in my mind, I had no other choice except my next actions. I silently slipped out of my chair and snuck up behind Sasuke. He turned to look at the chair I was in and, seeing that I wasn't there, scanned the room with his red eyes. I made sure I remained out of his field of vision-aka standing pretty much right behind him-then waited patiently until he went back to his mixing.

_Now's your chance, Uzumaki…_I thought to myself as I leaned towards Sasuke, making sure I didn't even brush against him until…

"KYAAA!" Sasuke screamed as he _literally_ jumped into the air, then started rubbing his ear. I couldn't hold back my laughter as I watched him mumble 'ew ew ew' as he wiped at his ear. _Heh…the power of tongue…_ I smiled as innocently as I could before I took a step towards a now-blushing Sasuke. I wrapped my arms around his neck and stood up at my full height, so I was eye-to-eye with him, and kissed his nose. _If only I had a camera…_I thought to myself as Sasuke's cheeks turned as red as his eyes and he scrunched his nose up.

"Kaiwaii!" I snickered as Sasuke frowned at me. He turned his head to the side and refused to look at me until I smirked again and brushed my lips against the exposed skin of his neck. If it was possible to destroy Sasuke's icy reputation anymore, I would have been surprised, considering that he 'eeped' as soon as I began licking his pale flesh. His eep soon turned into a gasp when I started sucking on a particularly sensitive spot between his neck and collarbone. I was surprised to find out, as I was assaulting his neck, that Sasuke was _very_ sensitive around his midsection, where one of my hands was currently located-tracing the muscles in his well-built abdomen.

Someone coughed loud enough to make Sasuke jump back and to get me to turn around. "I see why you were kicking me out of the house this morning, Sasuke…" Neji joked as he waved at me and, somehow unfazed by what he had walked in on, sat down at the table and stretched his arms up. "Ohayo, Aoi…"

"…ohayo?" I replied, looking from Neji to Sasuke curiously. Neither teen was treating me as I was expecting…considering they found out I was a guy, which was surprising. I smiled as I sat down in a seat adjacent to Neji, then looked up at Sasuke and had to cover my mouth to stop myself from laughing…_too loudly_. Sasuke's eye twitched as he stared at his reflection in the kitchen's window for a moment, then glared at me.

"It'll fade, Sasuke…" Neji stated, trying to stop himself from smiling as he and I, along with Sasuke, looked at the _very_ noticeable mark on Sasuke's neck. It didn't help matters much that Sasuke's was deathly pale or that his skin was, otherwise, flawless.

Sasuke mumbled something as he went back to his bowl of batter. It oddly sounded something like 'eat shit and die,' but I wasn't sure until I saw Sasuke mixing the contents of his bowl with a ferocity that was almost scary.

"So, Neji-kun…did you know Sasuke was a closet pervert?" I asked nonchalantly, smirking when I saw Sasuke's reaction to that-a soft grumble. He was starting to get annoyed with me. "He has so many of those romance novels…"

"Un…he's made me buy a few of them for him…I don't know what he sees in them…" Neji replied, quickly catching on to what I was doing. "What's worse is that, most of the time, he makes me go get his books for him so none of his fan girls will see him…"

"Iie!"

"Hai…" I couldn't stop myself from snorting in laughter as Sasuke, without even looking over his shoulder, flung his batter-coated spoon at Neji and, with surprising accuracy, actually hit the Hyuuga in the nose. "Oi, I'm just telling Aoi the truth."

"I…will…strangle you in your sleep, Neji…" Sasuke stated coldly as he pulled the bowl to his chest with his uninjured arm and carried it towards the stove. "Or poison you…"

"Hmph…just try, Uchiha…"

"I'll put bananas in your pancakes if you don't shut up…" Sasuke retorted as he slowly picked up a yellow banana from a basket next to the stove. I looked at Neji, wondering what the teen had against bananas, but smirked when I saw him frowning slightly.

"…you wouldn't dare…" Neji said as he began licking the batter off the spoon that was thrown at him. "anyways, if you do…I'll just tell Aoi about that time you got arrested for indecent exposure…"

"You got arrested with me…" Sasuke pointed out as he began pouring the batter onto a griddle. It sizzled for a moment while I processed that information about the two. _Indecent exposure…they were…naked in public!_ My mouth gaped open at that idea-and image- as I looked to Neji, who was smirking.

"True…only because you were slowing me down…"

"I had a broken leg…"

"Well, the crutches didn't save us from the police…"

"Heh…but I'm sure I gave a few of them concussions…" I stared at Sasuke's back in amazement. Yeah, he seemed like a bad-boy…but I only thought that was because people didn't really know him. _Arrested…I haven't even gotten arrested yet…and they…assaulted police officers! Are they crazy?_

"We were sooo wasted…" Neji commented as he covered a smile with the back of his hand. I couldn't help but stare at Neji. He always seemed to be a good, law-abiding, student who would never do something wrong. _He's…a hoodlum…_I studied Neji for a few more moments.

"It helped, though…" Sasuke stated as he turned away from the stove to look at Neji and myself. I studied those red orbs for a moment, surprised to see that he had lost that anger he was showing before.

"Helped?" I repeated curiously, studying the slight smirk on Sasuke's face.

"Hai…that was the same night we all got tattoos…" Neji replied, gesturing at his forehead. "My uncle was so angry, he nearly drug me to the hospital to get it removed…so instead…I'm required to keep it covered at all times…"

"Oo…what does it look like?" I asked, inwardly amazed that Neji could keep something like a tattoo across his forehead a secret in school, but, thinking about it for a moment, I realized that as long as I had known Neji, he had always worn that odd bandana around his head. "I was wondering what that was for…"

Neji slowly took off the black piece of material, revealing three green marks. Two marks, shaped like hooks, were on either side of an X. I studied the marking for a moment, my eyes wide. _That must have been painful…_I thought to myself as I glanced over at Sasuke, then back to Neji. "Why…"

"To symbolize that a person cannot escape their fate…" Neji replied softly. "…I found out I was wrong…but I'm keeping this tattoo to remind me of that…"

"…how did you find that out?" I wondered aloud, noticing Neji smirked as soon as I asked, then he blushed slightly. "Ah…Hinata-chan…"

"It was my fate to hate her…but…I couldn't…"

"Why would you have to hate her?" I asked, studying the pained look that came to Neji's eyes. He looked away and took a deep breath. "…Gomen…I shouldn't have asked…"

"It's alright…" Neji replied as he placed his hands on the table and pushed himself up. I watched him as he went in search of something in the cabinets. As he sat back down and placed two mugs of coffee in front of me, he sighed. "I was supposed to hate her because her father killed mine…it was the way our family was…"

"_Killed_?" I repeated in astonishment. Neji nodded his head slowly as he furrowed his eyebrows and studied the mug closer to himself. He quickly picked it up and took a sip before looking at me.

"…I thought my uncle killed my father…but…when I was thirteen, I found out from my uncle himself that my father had died to protect him…Hiashi told me he would have done anything to save my father…" Neji said as he looked down at his black coffee. "It took me a long time to accept it…but even before I learned the truth…I couldn't hate Hinata…even though I was terrible to her…"

"So melodramatic…" Sasuke mumbled as he set a plate of pancakes in front of Neji and me, along with syrup and a few dishes and forks. "His uncle was always trying to make it up to Neji…and now I have this baka living with me…"

"You always were _so_ subtle, Sasuke…" Neji replied, smirking as he stole the top few pancakes off of the pile and drowned them in syrup before looking back up at Sasuke. "I may be melodramatic at times, but you're an angst-whore…"

"An_ angst-whore_?" I repeated, looking up at Sasuke, who looked like he was about to smack Neji. I chuckled at the thought. Two of the prettiest boys I'd ever met bitch-slapping each other. "Hehe…"

"And what are you laughing at, dobe?" Sasuke sneered as he sat down next to me and stole away my cup of coffee. _Blegh…how can they drink that nasty stuff…_I wondered to myself as I watched Sasuke drain the cup in a few seconds.

"So, where's your tattoo, Sasuke?" I asked, trying to sound innocent, but I came off more 'seductive' than anything else. I looked at him with puppy-dog eyes for a moment before sliding my chair closer to Sasuke.

"It's on the back of his neck…he usually wears all of those high-collared shirts to cover it," Neji offered as he began devouring his pancakes with fervor. _He looks like he's in ecstasy…_I thought to myself as I watched Neji eat for a moment.

"Will you show it to me, Sasuke-kuuuuun?" I said curiously as I ripped my eyes away from Neji, who seemed to love syrup _quite_ a bit. Sasuke looked away from me as he pursed his lips and I smirked. I looked at him for a moment and my mouth dropped open. Instead of his usual baggy shirts, Sasuke was wearing a skin-tight black tank top…and I had somehow missed that fact until now. I stared at the visible muscles under the shirt, then turned in my chair enough so that I could see his back.

"You look like Neji with pancakes…" Sasuke muttered as he raised an eyebrow and looked at me. I looked up from his back and glanced over at Neji, who was already into his second helpings of pancakes. I smiled nervously, but froze when I noticed an odd black mark on the back of Sasuke's neck.

"Oi, is that your tattoo?" I asked as I slid out of my chair to, pretty much, sit in Sasuke's lap and stare at the three dots surrounded by a thin circle. _Those marks…they look familiar…_I thought to myself as I gingerly touched the mark, surprising myself when Sasuke flinched. He didn't do it out of fear or pain, which only led me to the conclusion it was a 'spot' for him. I smirked as I cuddled up in his lap and wrapped my hands around his neck. "Sasuke-kun…"

"Get off me, dobe…" Sasuke mumbled, obviously trying his hardest not to blush as I, knowingly, pressed my rear into his crotch. I smiled innocently as I slid off of him and back into my own chair.

"Please wait until I leave before you molest Sasuke, Aoi-kun…"Neji stated calmly before he wolfed down yet another pancake-this time whole. I watched in amazement as he cleaned off the rest of the pile of pancakes Sasuke had brought over, then took a sip of coffee. "Ah…you're the best cook, Sasuke…"

"What about Hinata?" Sasuke asked as he pulled the empty plate away from Neji. He stared lovingly at the griddle for a moment before sighing and, what I saw as, turned green.

"I love her…demo…" Neji shivered as he smiled nervously. "You really should help her, Sasuke…I was sick for nearly a month last time I tried her food…"

"That's not nice, Neji…" I pointed out, knowing that Hinata must have been trying her best to impress him. Even I couldn't cook-I could only make instant ramen-and Hinata told me she'd been working at her culinary skills lately so she could impress Neji one day…but getting sick for a month?

"I'm not lying…"

"He hasn't been able to eat bananas since…" Sasuke added while smiling evilly as he walked back to the griddle and started to pour more batter on the hot piece of metal. I raised an eyebrow at this comment, but didn't say anything. I turned to look at Neji, who had turned quite pale all of a sudden.

"…Shimatta…" Neji whispered as he stared at his watch for a moment, then glared up at Sasuke. "And you two get a week out of school…" With that, he slid out of his chair then flew towards the front door and left with a 'don't lose your virginity before lunch,' directed at Sasuke. The raven-haired Uchiha merely twitched at that unnecessary comment as he returned to the table with another pile of pancakes.

"So, what are we doing today, Sasuke?" I asked politely as I pulled off the top pancake and put it on my plate. I put _much less_ syrup on my pancake than Neji had and happily bit into it once Sasuke had sat down and taken one for himself. _Neji's right…these are so good!_ I nearly cried in happiness as I quickly finished the round, spongy cake and started in on my second. I knew Sasuke was watching me, which made me self-conscious all of a sudden. I put the whole cake down and lowered my head as I cut it into pieces. _Manners…manners…what would Iruka think!_ I thought to myself as I took a piece into my mouth and reveled in its amazingly light taste.

"…I…have to go visit my family…" Sasuke commented softly as his gaze left me long enough to place a piece of pancake in his mouth. "…would…would you mind coming?" _He sounds nervous? Why?_ I looked up from my plate and saw the pink tinge to his cheeks.

"Sure…I'm sure Sakura would be _soo_ jealous to hear I met your parents before her…" I said mockingly as I inwardly added a few more details. _She would die to know Sasuke's an amazing cook…is incredibly hot in a tank top…and is very shy…that and he's sensitive…ehehehehe…_

"Adoptive parents," Sasuke added before he took a sip of his coffee. I blinked as I studied his face. When he had mentioned the word 'adoptive,' he sounded like it hurt him…I wonder what happened to his real parents.

"I'm adopted too…" I said with a smile. It wasn't a complete falsehood. My parents had died when I was very young, leaving me all alone to fend for myself. Then, there was the day I met Iruka and Kakashi. I had the misfortune of picking the wrong silver-haired man's pockets and getting caught (not by _him_, but his lover). I had given the cutest face I could manage to Iruka, who immediately melted and begged Kakashi to let me stay with them. It took Iruka months to wear Kakashi down enough to agree to such an idea, but then again, once he did, he was the best father I could have asked for.

"…will I ever meet them?" Sasuke wondered as he stood up and went to get himself more coffee. I nodded my head, knowing he was keeping an eye on me, then smirked. "Nani?"

"They're quite flaming…just to warn you…" I commented as I watched Sasuke pull out a glass from another cabinet and go to the fridge for something. For a moment, I saw his shoulders tense, which I guess was understandable. _It's not normal for two gay guys to raise a kid…especially someone as amazing as me! _I inwardly smiled at that, mentally noting that I would have to do something for Kakashi and Iruka one of these days to thank them for everything.

"…My adoptive parents…are…different…" Sasuke stated as he sat back down and handed me a glass of milk. I smiled at him, adding another thing to my 'Make Sakura Jealous' list. _He's thoughtful…_ I took a sip of the cold liquid, then looked up at Sasuke, who diverted his gaze quickly.

"Different how?" I asked, pretending not to notice that he had been watching me a moment before.

"They…are too concerned with their reputation and money…" Sasuke replied coldly as he began cutting through an innocent pancake angrily. I watched him for a moment, wondering what his adoptive parents could have done to make him hate them so much. _Is that who he was talking to this morning?_ I wondered for a moment before reaching over to Sasuke and touching his hand. For a moment, I thought Sasuke would pull away, but instead, he wove his fingers between mine.

"If they're that bad, then just don't see them," I pointed out as Sasuke stared at my hand. He shook his head, mumbling that he had to go. "Then I'll be there with you to beat them up!"

"Is that your answer to everything?" Sasuke asked as he held up his cast-covered arm. I smiled sheepishly as I leaned forward in my chair and gingerly kissed Sasuke's lips. Even though it was a completely chaste kiss, my heart sped up as I pulled away.

"Not _everything_," I replied as I used my other hand to trace the contours of Sasuke's face. "But for most things…yep!" Sasuke shook his head at my answer, but I could see the faint beginnings of a smile.

/\\

Authoress//stares in wonder/ I shall stop before I hit thirty pages (currently, we're at 26)…so, how'dya like that chappie!…

Sasuke: OOC MUCH!

Authoress: yeaaaa…sorry 'bout that…but…you know Sasuke can have his tender, needy moments…

Sasuke: YOU GAVE ME A HICKEY AND MADE NEJI INTO SOME PANCAKE LOVING MONSTER!

Authoress: Yep…so /covers Sasuke's ears/ for those who may not have already guessed it…Sasuke doesn't know yet of Naruto's predicament…and I haven't decided yet if Neji found out in that oh-so-steamy bathroom mess…yep…that's what happens when you've got a stomachache and are listening to Dir en Grey for over seven hours straight…so, until next chapter…when, I assure you, Gaara will find his soul mate…and we'll meet Sasuke's prick parents! Yays! …/crickets chirping/ okay then…well, sayonara my wonderful reviewers…and don't forget to tell me what you think should happen to our unusual couple!


	6. More Than A Pervert

Authoress: yay! I'm back again for the next Hensou chapter!

Neji:…pancakes? You couldn't think of anything better…and what's with the bananas!

Authoress: all in good time, my bishounen!

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto…now really…did you actually think I did?

Chapter Six

(Naruto's POV)

I glanced back in the side mirror, smirking to myself when I saw Sasuke in it. He was still wearing that amazing tank top, now with a pair of black shorts that, if they were a few inches shorter, they would have been…absolutely sexy. Shaking such an image from my already sex-oriented mind, I watched the Uchiha out of the corner of my eye. He had been pacing around the back of the car for the past few minutes, obviously trying to decide on something. I had no idea what it was he was thinking about since I had leapt into his convertible as soon as we had finished cleaning the breakfast dishes. It had taken Sasuke a few more minutes to get outside.

So, now, I squirmed in the passenger seat in anticipation. He wanted _me_ to meet his parents! If that didn't mean something for our relationship-if it could be called even that-I don't know what did. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Sasuke stop his walking, then turn to look at the car. At me.

"Oi, we going, teme?" I asked, turning my head so I could look at Sasuke over my shoulder. He did the usual 'Sasuke-frown' and stuffed his hands into his shorts' pockets. It was kind of cute, seeing him pout so openly, but then again, I had already seen him at his 'cutest.' I had seen him blush and smile-all within a few moments of each other! I almost wanted to dance. My eyes returned to the car's grey dashboard and I covered a smile with my hand. I had learned more about Sasuke in the past hour than I had in the months of tutoring and drama club. The one thing that I had yet to ask the Uchiha was why he seemed so…against visiting his parents. No, against wasn't the word. Even right now, as he slid into the driver's seat, he was trying to hide his fear. Sasuke was…scared to death of going to see them. It was unnerving to see Sasuke like this.

"You sure you want to come?" Sasuke said softly, turning to look at me. Even if I had reconsidered his request, the look in his eyes was enough to convince me that I had to go with him. I forced myself to smile as I nodded my head. I didn't want to go, now that I could see how disturbed he was over the idea of going to his parents', but I had never seen him like this. Against my conscience, which was telling me I was being too nosy, I rested my hand on Sasuke's and squeezed. Fear wasn't alien to me and I knew how powerful it could be. Something that got this much emotion out of Sasuke was certainly something that would have seriously scarred others.

Seeing the small smile on his perfect lips as he returned the comforting pressure, for the first time, I saw Sasuke wasn't any different from anyone else. He was just as easily injured as the rest of us.

/\

"…no way…you live here!" I exclaimed as I watched the trees fly by. According to the last sound out of Sasuke, about a kilometer back, this is where his family's estates began…and had yet to end. We had yet to come into contact with anything but the cherry trees as Sasuke took the black road at an alarming speed. Once he had started the car and peeled out of his driveway, I had yet to let go of the handle at my side. (A/N: called the "oh-shit handle" in my family…especially when my grandfather or myself are driving…around turns…/smiles/ hehe…)

After about an hour of driving, I had slowly started growing accustomed to the fact Sasuke was a scary driver. I shouldn't be one to talk, though. The first time Iruka had allowed me to drive had also been my last. Kakashi has had problems with vehicles since then. He has yet to set a foot into any car while I'm around-let alone when I'm already sitting in it. I inwardly puffed out my cheeks, remembering that day.

_It wasn't my fault that traffic light was hidden…_I thought to myself, glancing over at Sasuke long enough to assure myself that this wouldn't be a repeat of my driving experience. It wouldn't-there were no traffic lights or pedestrian crossings this time. "So, teme, why did you move?" I had to ask. From what I had seen of the vast expanse of countryside, this place was wonderful. There wasn't a single loud sound, like those in the city-or anywhere else for that matter. It was completely silent except for the crunch of gravel as Sasuke sped along-that and the brief chirp I could hear as we flew by a bird. As beautiful as the landscape was, I was beginning to wonder when we would return to civilization. My answers must have been heard, since not even a second later, the trees ended and I was left staring at the single largest building to have existed.

The house was modern in shape and style, but I could see Japanese architecture as well. The outer walls were similar to ones I had seen before, but on a grand scale. They, literally, stretched out as far as the eye could see and were at least two stories high. Somehow, the breath had been knocked out of me as I studied the massive construction. I didn't even realize Sasuke had stopped the car and gotten out until he opened my door. I stared at the pale hand that stretched into the car with wonder. No one had ever helped me out of a car before. It was kind of nice. I smiled and took his hand, deliberately making it difficult for Sasuke to pull me out. Once he finally succeeded in his _gentlemanly_ act of wrenching me out of my seat, I 'tripped over' and fell into him. I _innocently_ brushed my hands across his chest as I tried to steady myself.

"Dobe…" Sasuke mumbled as he looked at me. His eyes were amazing. I really must have been dense not to realize he wore contacts all the time-that and his brother was none other than _Itachi_. Looking at him right now, as he held me up by an elbow, his other hand wrapped around my waist, I could see how similar they were-and how they could have nothing in common. Sasuke's eyes held the same color as his brother's, but thankfully were nowhere near as cold and…evil…as Itachi's. Nothing about Sasuke could be mistaken for being similar to Itachi. "What are you staring at?" I smiled softly as I shook my head, dismissing his question. Even their voices were so dissimilar. I liked Sasuke's, with its almost melodic quality and masculine deepness. Not too deep, though-but I could just imagine it would be a rich baritone in a few years. Just the thought of Sasuke in a few years was enough to make me nearly squeal. I stood on my tiptoes until I was at eyelevel with the Uchiha. That would be one thing that would never change about Sasuke. Even though our heights were quite close, he would always be taller than me-enough to be able to look down at me with that glare of his. Before he had a chance to pull away, I brushed my lips against his cheek. As I pulled away, I saw his offended cheek turn pink.

No matter how many times I saw it, his blush was unrivaled in its adorableness. There was just something about the way that reddish tint made him look like…someone actually his age. That realization made me quickly step away from Sasuke. I hadn't noticed it before, but he looked far older than his sixteen years. Perhaps his adoptive parents were to blame for that…or whatever happened to him in the past. I had always known Sasuke held some dark secrets and I always romanced the idea he had some terrible childhood, filled with pain and torture. But, in this day and age? Not likely.

He probably just was, luckily, adopted into a rich family when he and his brother were very young and he had some kind of tiff with them a few months back, so he moved to Konoha to rebel against his parents. _It's what I'd probably do in his place…but I wouldn't let Iruka worry like that…or Zabuza for that matter…when they get hysterical…they're frightening…_I reminded myself as I wrapped my hand around Sasuke's. He didn't pull away, but I got the feeling he wanted desperately to hide the fact I was something more than his 'friend from school.'

"Maa, are we going to stand out here all day?" I asked, loosening my grip on Sasuke's fingers enough to let them limply fall back to his side. Sasuke's eyes met mine for a moment and I couldn't help but feel regret for agreeing to come. He _really_ didn't want to be here.

_I'm going to have to ask him about that later…_I thought to myself as I took a step away from the car and began walking towards the huge doors in the outer wall. Sasuke followed docilely behind me, his longer legs quickly allowing him to catch up to me as we entered his parents' home.

/\

(third person…ooo…a new POV!)

"Neji-kun!" Said boy turned to look at the Biology teacher who sounded desperate. Seeing Iruka trying to end a conversation with the usually energetic Gai, Neji took a step towards two of his favorite teachers and patiently waited for Gai to finish his newest scene change. Ever since TenTen and Ino had finished that sunset backdrop, the spandex-lover had been running around school with it. …he was a one-man, traveling troupe.

"Sensei?"

"I…I was wondering if you've seen Sasuke or Aoi today…neither one were in class today and the rest of the drama club wouldn't tell me what happened yesterday," Iruka commented, looking back at Gai long enough to see the man grab an unsuspecting first year and begin crying over the innocence of youth as the girl cried rape.

Eye twitching, Iruka took a few hesitant steps away from his old friend, then watched Neji shuffle his weight from one foot to the other. He knew well enough, from his son's own antics, that this was obviously an act of anxiety. The Hyuuga glanced up at Iruka and sighed. "…Sasuke was in an accident and broke his arm…Aoi is taking the week off to stay with him…"

"An…accident! What happened?" Iruka, nearly, screamed. It wasn't so much that one of his students was injured, but that _Aoi_ would be the one to take care of him. That was just too frightening for words.

"H-hai…a car accident. He'll be fine though, he just needs some rest," Neji replied softly, his voice betraying only concern for his friend. Iruka smiled, not wanting to ruin the boy's lie. If he hadn't already heard from Tsunade-sama that those two had been in a fight-leaving Sasuke with a broken arm and Aoi a little emotionally unbalanced-Iruka would have actually believed the aspiring actor.

"A week seems with Aoi seems like punishment enough, ne?" Iruka stated, his voice hinting at the fact he knew more about the previous day's events. Neji looked at him curiously, then smiled as he nodded his head.

"No other sentence could be so befitting," Neji said, watching the teacher snicker. The drama club had already decided to tell the story of Sasuke's car accident (and Aoi's tending to him) in case anyone asked. Somehow, the fan club had accepted that and already had begun plotting a way to kill the blonde. _That's what he gets for making out with Sasuke in the middle of the night…_Neji decided as he bit his lip to stop from snickering. Of all people for Sasuke to get involved with…it had to be a beautiful blonde boy. At first, it had come to Neji as a surprise. But, then again, Aoi was the best actor out of them all, so why not pretend to be a girl? And it was so believable, he had even convinced the Homophobic himself.

_No wonder Gaara made such a strange bet with Sasuke…but how did he know Aoi was a guy?_ Neji wondered as he bid Iruka goodbye and continued on his way to the roof. _I'm going to have to ask Hinata how long she knew about Aoi…_ Luckily for curious Hyuuga, he was going to meet her for lunch right now.

/\

(hell, let's continue with the third person POV!)

"What do you want?" the usually quiet man asked gruffly as his young assistant slipped into the room with a silence that would have almost been surprising if it hadn't been for the fact he personally had trained the boy. Nothing less than perfection could be expected.

"Sasuke-sama is waiting for you in the gardens…and he has brought a friend with him," the silver haired man replied, bowing low as he approached the uncluttered desk. "A young girl…" A thin eyebrow arched upwards at that comment. It was normal, when they had these 'family gatherings,' for his foster child to bring one of his odd friends with him. _Now what were their names? _The pale man wondered as he slowly stood up, which his assistant took as a dismissal. _Ah, yes…one of those damned Hyuugas and that strange redhead. If their families weren't so powerful…I would have disposed of them years ago…_ But, knowing Sasuke had returned _with a girl_, one that Kabuto hadn't named as the Hyuuga heiress-who was also a frequent growth on Sasuke's side, it seemed. That was an interesting piece of information. Wondering how his son knew this girl, the aging man slowly stood up and slithered out of the room with all the grace of a snake.

(A/N: aw, hell…take a wild guess on who that snake-bastard is!)

Within moments, he was glancing at a pair of teens from his concealed position behind a thick growth of foliage. Even though his white skin was a sharp contrast to the dark green leaves, he knew neither his son or the blonde fidgeting next to him could see that he was there. He studied the raven haired boy for a moment, noticing the slight changes in Sasuke's posture and expressions. Whoever this mysterious girl was, she was someone Sasuke was comfortable around. His eyes shifted to the girl, noticing a few odd details in her features. He had always liked his women to have large chests and had assumed Sasuke would have a similar preference, but this girl was as flat-chested as his adopted son. Not only that, but she was wearing (unflattering) boy's clothes and had her golden hair cropped short, which left the locks to stand up at odd angles.

Staring at the girl who had obviously attracted his son's attentions, he realized something else. She looked almost identical to someone he knew many years ago. _It can't be…_he thought in amazement as he studied those blue eyes. But there was no other way to explain her astonishing similarities to _him_.

"Oi, teme…what should I call your father?" the girl whispered, as if she didn't want anyone to hear their conversation. It was almost as if she _knew_ someone was nearby. That just confirmed his ideas on her heritage as he smirked. This day was already starting to look better. Before his son had the chance to answer, he stepped away from the shrubbery and onto the path where the two could clearly see him.

"Sasuke-kun…you've never brought such a _lovely_ woman home before," he stated, noticing how the girl shivered as he spoke. He had that effect on many people. Smiling, he continued, "gomen, I have yet to introduce myself. I am Sasuke's father, Orochimaru…and you are?"

Naruto glanced from Sasuke, who looked to be on the verge of bolting, to the slimy thing that had just appeared out of nowhere. If this creature-since it obviously wasn't human-was the reason Sasuke hadn't wanted to return home, then the blonde had no argument against his reasoning. The amazingly pale man-what Naruto guessed to be male (although he couldn't be sure)-held himself with an air that made both boys sit back on the bench, trying to move as far away from him as possible. _Kuso…I didn't think people could be so creepy_…Naruto thought to himself as he took a deep breath, forcing himself to remember his manners. "Konnichi wa, Orochimaru-sama. I'm U-Uzumaki Na-" He nearly bit his lip, realizing how close he was to slipping up due to his irrational fear of the man. The way he looked at Naruto-as if his eyes could pierce through his skin; that he knew everything about the blonde and was gloating over it. "Aoi…"

"Uzumaki…Aoi…" Orochimaru repeated the name, letting the sound of it sit on his tongue. Deciding he liked the sound of her name, he smiled. That smile only broadened when he saw how the girl cringed at his bared teeth.

"Anou…sa….It's very nice to meet you…" Naruto stated, forcing himself to remain polite. Those eerie eyes shifted from the blonde to Sasuke, who was glaring at him with an intense hatred. Orochimaru chuckled at that, remembering the last time he had seen his beloved son. Sasuke had actually _fought back_ that time. It only succeeded in turning his father on. He had been disappointed that, the next morning after that, he woke up with a throbbing pain in his head and an empty bed. After pondering it over for a few hours, he realized Sasuke had actually had the audacity to smash a ceramic vase over his head when he was least expecting it. It took the rest of the morning to discover Sasuke had ran off and, even after forcing is wife to call the Hyuuga clan along with his other little friend's house, they couldn't find the boy. After a few weeks, Sasuke had actually called and said he was living in a small town southwest of their estates and wouldn't return. He had even been courageous enough to threaten his father that, if Orochimaru would come near him again, he would file charges. That was easy to overcome-he sent his other adopted son in, who religiously sent back reports on Sasuke's progress.

Now, thinking back, Orochimaru knew he still had the dent from that tiff. He then looked at the boy mere meters from his touch and felt that familiar ache to just reach out. He fought back the urge to force the child into submission when he saw the undeniable changes in his pet. Since he was only allowed to hear Itachi's reports for eight months, he was surprised to see the differences in the once quivering, jumpy teen, even most of the ones Itachi had somehow missed. Sasuke was letting the girl actually sit close to him-closer than anyone else had ever been allowed. Even if someone was a hair closer to Sasuke than his massive personal space bubble allowed, the boy (literally) flipped out. Even though his wife had actually argued with him about his relationship with Sasuke, the boy hated her as well.

"The pleasure's mine, Aoi-chan," Orochimaru replied, giving a smile to the girl as she moved even closer to Sasuke. That confirmed the pale man's suspicions on what kind of relationship his son had with the blonde-and how Sasuke had changed so much in mere months. They must have been lovers, but that idea just didn't pan out in Orochimaru's mind. He knew for a fact that Sasuke was terrified of _any_ physical contact-whether from male or female-and the mere idea of sex had always gotten the boy to shudder. All Orochimaru had to do was lick his lips or move his hands in a suggestive manner and Sasuke would bolt out of a room. But now? The boy might have grown enough of a backbone to actually take some of the harassment. The man couldn't wait until to try out his toy's new attitude…and find out what this pretty girl had taught him.

"Sasuke-kuuun!" Said boy flinched at the voice, Naruto noticed and, as the blonde looked at the creepy man in front of them, saw that the old man also shivered at the sound. Naruto was about to ask his friend what was wrong, but received his answer when he saw a blur of off-white fly past him and into Sasuke.

Covering his mouth to muffle a snort, Naruto watched as Sasuke's face was smothered in a massive chest. He studied the woman as she rubbed the raven-haired teen's head between her breasts, squealing about something. All Naruto could pick up were 'worried' and 'home.' Once Sasuke had finally regained the ability to use his body, he pushed the woman away as quickly as possible and, once his face was free of her cleavage, he took a deep breath.

"Sasuke-kun! I was so worried you wouldn't come home in time. Kimimaro will be so happy to see you! You've gotten even more handsome since I've last seen you! And don't think you'll get out of telling me everything you've been doing…oh…who's this?" the woman asked as soon as she noticed the blonde sitting unusually close to her precious Sasuke. As deep blue eyes met soft brown ones, Naruto lifted an eyebrow. There was something about the woman's eyes that immediately made him edgy.

"Uzumaki Aoi…a friend of Sasuke-kun's…" Orochimaru replied, noticing the immediate stiffening in his wife's back as soon as his statement registered. She looked from one teen to the other, quickly coming to the same realization Orochimaru had. _Koibito? I thought Sasuke couldn't deal with people…this girl must be amazing…_she thought to herself, smiling.

"Aoi-chan! Nice to meet you, I'm Sasuke's mother, Mitarashi Anko. You can just call me Anko, though," she stated, bowing slightly to the blonde. Naruto looked from the purple-haired woman to Orochimaru, then back, wondering how such a pretty lady had ended up with that monster. _Love has no boundaries, I guess…neither does money…_Naruto surmised as he looked at the odd pair, smiling politely. He realized that this pair must have been the reason Sasuke had been apprehensive to go home. Hell, he'd be afraid to be near these people. The man gave off a very creepy vibe and the woman…she was a little…_too_ cheerful. _And who is the Kimimaro that she mentioned? A friend of Sasuke's?_ "If you don't mind my asking…what are you to my son, Aoi-chan?"

"…t-to Sasuke?…" Naruto glanced nervously to the teen, remembering before how Sasuke had pulled away from him. _He didn't want anyone to know about us…now I can see why._ "We're classmates. Sasuke and I both had a day off school today."

"A day off school? That's strange, I didn't think today was a holiday," Anko said, waiting to see a reaction out of either teen, but didn't find anything except stubbornness from her son and…fear?…from the girl. No wonder the girl was afraid…meeting her boyfriend's parents was a trying event. She pulled her gaze away from Aoi, and it landed on the white bandages surrounding Sasuke's forearm. "Sasuke-kun! What happened to your arm!"

"Car accident…I totaled one of Gaara's cars…" Sasuke replied without even hesitating. Naruto, having learned to read every small change in the Uchiha, could tell there was a good reason he wasn't even going to give them a reason to doubt his story. _Car accident…it is a good…j-joto mate!…Gaara?_ Naruto stared at the teen, dumb-struck. _Is it the same Gaara?_

"Sabaku no Gaara…how is he?" Anko asked, remembering that manners were to be expected from her. Orochimaru, on the other hand, merely raised an eye at the look of dread that passed over the blonde's face. _Sabaku no Gaara! Shimatta…I didn't know Sasuke and Gaara knew each other…no wonder Gaara overreacted when I said Sasuke…Kuso! _Naruto bit his lip, wondering how long it would take Sasuke to find out that he was Gaara's ex-lover.

"Fine…" Sasuke answered curtly, his eyes raising to Anko's, as if challenging her to ask something else. "What did you want me for?" He knew that something had happened, or else he would have never gotten call from the bitchy woman; at nine in the morning at that! She had never called him before. The only person, besides an occasional call from Itachi, to actually phone Sasuke was Kabuto and the twins-the three were actually not that bad, their evil tendencies put aside. His foster father's 'assistant' was actually the one who usually patched Sasuke up after each of his father's outbreaks. Kabuto always was very gentle to Sasuke, never asking if he 'wanted to talk about it,' like his psychiatrist so often questioned. The twins, Sakon and Ukon, on the other hand, were the ones who always fought with Sasuke when the Uchiha wanted to let off some steam. The pair were the ones that had actually taught Sasuke the most about fighting, next to Gaara and Neji. He glared for a moment longer, then remembered that she had mentioned something about Kimimaro. "What happened?"

"Kimimaro had another relapse…and the doctors are going to let him go…Sakon actually was the one who suggested we call you before they shut off his life support…" Anko replied cheerfully. Naruto's eyes widened at her comment-and how she said it. He was amazed at how she could talk about death so easily, as if it didn't matter that someone was going to die. She said it so nonchalantly that it was as if she was talking about the weather, not another person's life. _What…a monster!_ Naruto thought to himself, already gaining a deep hatred for the woman.

"I'll see him…then we're leaving…" Sasuke stated coldly, quickly standing up. Naruto, unsure what he was supposed to be doing, got up to follow the Uchiha. Sasuke turned his head to look at the blonde and gave Naruto a death glare that obviously meant to not follow him. _Touchy bastard…_Naruto mumbled inwardly as he watched Sasuke stalk off in the direction of an entrance to the massive house, Anko following at his heels.

"You've changed my son a great deal…" Orochimaru said, his voice dripping with hatred, as soon as the two were far out of earshot. He glared at the blonde only a meter away, wishing that he could just grip that slim neck until she stopped breathing. She had dared to alter his toy without his permission-but he would take his time for revenge. First things first. He had to find out if Sasuke's changes would be more entertaining the next time he was alone with the boy.

"Sasuke changed himself," Naruto retorted, his gaze never landing on that sickeningly _young_ face. From his voice, Orochimaru didn't sound that old, either-but Naruto had learned the wonders of medicine and what it could do from Tsunade and Jiraiya. "And whatever it is you did to him to fuck him up so badly…I'll make sure you don't get the chance to do it again…"

"Bold words from an _Uzumaki_…your father wouldn't have died if he wasn't so annoying…" Orochimaru smiled, showing off his slightly pointed teeth, when he saw how that comment had infuriated the blonde. "Nani? Don't want me talking about that idiot?"

"Don't you dare talk about my father, you evil snake-bastard!" Naruto retorted, clenching his fists. If the bastard wanted a fight, then who the hell was he to deny Orochimaru? He didn't know much about his biological father, except that the man was a legend back in Konoha-loved by everyone. That, and that his father died in a tragic accident when Naruto was still a baby. His mother died soon after giving birth to him, so after the event that claimed his father's life, Naruto was sent to an orphanage, where he was labeled as a monster. He was blamed for his parents' deaths, teased by everyone else because he was slower than them in everything…even the workers in the orphanage wouldn't come near him, as if he was a pariah-a leper. (A/N: damn…it's the Easter season…and I'm Catholic…/sighs/ those of you who got that…you must be part of one of those religious 'cults' too…leper…it just came to me, kay…)

At sometime between his fifth and seventh year of life, Naruto decided to run away-which he did. Since no one cared that he was gone (probably being happier that he was no longer in their care), Naruto found himself totally free-and alone. For months-maybe years…he roamed the streets of Konoha, learning how to take care of himself; no matter what the methods he used. Stealing, cheating, lying…they no matter brought up moral issues to Naruto, until he met the people who would change his life.

/Flashback…deal with it……and unlike other flashbacks…I won't italicize the whole thing…makes life much more simple this way…\

"Maa, Irukaaaa! I'm hungry!" Naruto peered out of his dark alleyway, noticing the loud voice immediately. Labeling the tall man as easy prey, he smiled. Seeing the large bulge in his dark green vest didn't make Naruto's smile weaken either. Judging from how large the lump in the thick vest was, Naruto estimated he'd have enough to buy himself enough to eat for weeks! As if his stomach understood his thought, the organ rumbled softly, giving the boy a cramp in his abdomen. Naruto looked down at his midsection, hoping that his stomach would be quiet. He couldn't blame it for growling at the mere thought of food, though. It had been over four days since Naruto had last eaten. People were harder to steal from in this in-between weather. They kept their jackets close, unconsciously keeping their grip on their pockets-as if that would help keep them warm in the chilly autumn winds. Naruto himself shivered as such a wind blew past him, easily permeating his threadbare clothes and freeze the boy even more. But he had to keep himself moving, or else he'd only get colder. Chuckling, for no other reason than imagining his next meal, the blonde pipsqueak darted out of his hiding place and hurled himself forwards, forced tears in his big blue eyes.

_Bingo!_ the blonde thought to himself when he felt his body collide into the tall man, who was unable to stop as the ball of brown flew at him. He quickly slid his hand into that jacket, which was amazingly warm, considering the sub-zero weather, and slid out the mass of leather before loosing contact with the man. Twisting his body just so, Naruto managed to stuff the wallet into a secret pocket in his ragged shirt, then fall onto his bottom, tears sliding down his grime-coated cheeks. The man instantly bent down to check Naruto, who was already beginning his second best act, all while thinking what a sucker this man was. Letting his lower lip pucker out, the boy shook his lower jaw and started sniffling.

"Iie, iie! Don't cry! Sumimasen! I didn't mean to hit you!" the man said between shushing noises. Naruto looked up at the man who was now kneeling down next to him, surprising himself into silence when he saw the man's mismatched eyes. One was a deep brownish black while the other was blood red. _Creepy…_Naruto thought to himself as he watched the man's eyes _smile_. He didn't know how he knew the man was smiling, since half of his face was being covered with a black turtleneck-or something to that effect-but he just knew the man was glad he stopped his crying.

"Kakashi-sensei! BAKA!" a young voice exclaimed. Naruto tore his gaze away from those odd eyes to look at the source of the statement. A girl, probably somewhere around Naruto's age, glared at the silver-haired man as she shifted a large grocery bag in her arms. She was very pretty, with long black hair loosely waving around in the wind. It seemed to defy gravity, curling in various directions, framing her round face. She was wearing a flowing kimono, which somehow seemed to fit her. She seemed almost _soft_…but there was something about her that made Naruto realize she wasn't someone to be messed with-unlike this 'Kakashi-sensei.'

"I didn't mean it! I didn't even see her!" _Her!_ Naruto decided at that moment that this man would die for his mistake. He wasn't a girl-he didn't even look girlish!

"I'm a boy!" Naruto scoffed, glaring at Kakashi as he slowly stood up, which made him tall enough to be face to face with the man sitting on his ankles. The man's eyes widened as Naruto started pouting-Act Three-until he started waving his arms around, apologizing. _What a spaz…_Naruto thought as he watched the man's wild antics, praying he would be done soon so Naruto could go reap the benefits of his scheme.

"And you'll be returning his wallet," another voice stated coolly. Naruto looked away from Kakashi and found himself staring at the kindest pair of eyes he had ever seen-and they were looking right at him. No one had ever looked at him like that…without hatred…without pity or fear. This man was amazing, Naruto decided as he took in the rest of the man's features. Very young, guessing from the lack of any wrinkles on his face or grey hair in the mop of chestnut hair that was pulled back into a tight, spiky ponytail, but there was something about the man that made him seem older. Perhaps it was the scar stretching across his delicate nose, or the look of understanding in his large brown eyes.

"Wallet? What are you talking about, Iruka…my wallet's right he-" Kakashi groped his vest, his eyes widening in amazement when he discovered his money was gone. Stunned, he looked at the small _boy_ standing proudly in front of him. He didn't think a child so young…so innocent and cute looking…would be capable of such pick pocketing-especially to such a degree he had felt nothing and hadn't even missed the weight. "…you…"

"Heh…" Naruto, knowing from experience to pick his battles wisely, smiled. He knew these men could easily catch him if he tried to run, so he pulled the black leather out of his shirt and handed it back to the man, who was now standing up. Naruto had to crane his neck just to see the man's hips, which made him realize how tall this man was-and how tiny he was.

"Ahem…" the brunette, Iruka, coughed, giving Naruto a reprimanding gaze. The boy sighed, wondering if this man was some kind of cop-or ex-pickpocket-as he reached back into his shirt and pulled out a few bills that had 'slipped out' of the wallet. "Much better…now, you should be getting home before it gets any colder…"

Naruto let his eyes drop down to the ground, hoping the man wouldn't notice the fact he was wearing no shoes. Most people, upon seeing Naruto's disheveled appearance, took pity on the boy…and Naruto couldn't stand charity. Obviously the brunette had noticed exactly what Naruto had been trying to hide and somehow was familiar with the boy's feelings, since he dropped to his knees and smiled at the child.

"I've got a job for you…if you're willing to work, that is," Iruka stated as he slid his jacket off and held it out to the boy. Naruto looked at him with distrust in his eyes, but sighed after a moment of wondering what the man was up to, and nodded his head. "I need someone to help around my…business…and a quick pair of hands would be invaluable. What do you think?"

"What do I have to do?" Naruto asked, hoping that this man wasn't some kind of pervert like so many promising 'homes' were. He knew what kinds of things could happen to a kid like him if he was too trusting…too hopeful. They would end up either being raped or killed-maybe both. He had had his close calls with these kinds of people, but something about the man screamed that he wasn't going to harm Naruto.

"Chores…run errands…and in return, I'll give you a place to sleep and meals…" Iruka replied, smiling when he saw the boy's eyes light up. Knowing exactly what was on the boy's mind, he added, "and as much ramen as you can eat."

That sealed the deal for Naruto. He jumped into the air, screaming "YOSH!" Before Iruka even had the chance to cover his ears from the cry, Naruto had launched himself at the man and was hugging him tightly, afraid that this miracle might leave if he let go. Iruka slowly stood up, holding the tiny boy in his arms, amazed at how light the child was. Having lived on the streets himself, though, Iruka knew how hard it was to get decent-routine-meals and inwardly applauded the boy's spirit that was still, obviously, unbroken from such a hard life.

He looked to his life partner as he wrapped his jacket around the small frame of the boy, smiling when he saw that bored expression on his boyfriend's face. "Come on, Kakashi…I promise I'll keep him out of trouble…" The tall man sighed, glaring at the ball of dirt in Iruka's arms, knowing that this would just be a fight after the boy was not in earshot.

"You said that about Haku here too," Kakashi pointed out, glancing over at the girlish figure glaring at him. He obviously didn't like what Kakashi was suggesting-and said as much with a well-thrown orange at the silver head of hair. "Itai!"

"You're more trouble than me, Kakashi-sensei! At least Zabuza-san and I contribute to the income of the household," Haku retorted, sticking his tongue out. The man raised an eyebrow, chuckling. He had no idea how much trouble he would get into when he took in a drowned-rat-of-a-brunette, then let his friend and Zabuza's 'charge' live in the small apartment. Now, looking at the (now) unconscious body sleeping contently in Iruka's arms, he could do nothing else but shrug his shoulders.

"Whatever makes you happy…" he mumbled, noticing the upturn on his lover's lips. That smile was the reason he had gotten himself into this trouble in the first place. He knew Iruka or Haku couldn't see it, but the pair had caught the slightest of movements underneath Kakashi's mask. All it had taken was that smile-and Kakashi had found himself letting a fifteen-year old orphan with the most beautiful eyes live with him. As luck-or fate-would have it, it was that same orphan who had more than repaid Kakashi for his moment of uncharacteristic kindness. Iruka, knowing what that smile was for, stepped towards Kakashi and stood on his tiptoes to peck the man on his cheek.

"Arigatou, itoshii," Iruka whispered in Kakashi's ear before he stepped back. "Remember the first thing I said to you…after you took me in?" That question got the man to sigh, not out of exasperation or anger, but out of happiness-the same happiness that Iruka had rekindled in him.

"Hai…'If you're not a pervert, then you are the kindest person to exist'…" Kakashi replied, giving Iruka a lecherous glance. The shorter man smiled and bit his lip. The brunette's comment didn't have to be voiced as their eyes met.

_I always knew you were more than just a pervert…_

/aww…wasn't that cute…/gags on a spoon/ maybe another time I'll go back to talk about how exactly Iruka and Kakashi met, then 'got together,' and such…only if reviewers ask for it though (and if I did write it, it'd probably be a side fic, or a whole chapter to itself…dunno…so, back to the present!\

Smiling inwardly at remembering that day, Naruto found a new surge of anger. This man dared to mock his family-whether or not Naruto knew them-it had the same effect on the boy. "My father was a great man…unlike you, you bastard!"

"Do you know what I could do to you, Uzumaki?" Orochimaru asked, his voice suggesting a threat even worse than death-which he could also do, but it wasn't the hebi's style. "Come near my son again…and I will make sure you pray for death…"

If said in another manner-and by another person-the statement could have been called paternal; protective, but coming from the pale man, it was frightening. He was challenging Naruto to become close to Sasuke, as if Sasuke belonged to him. Naruto caught that definite sense of possession in his voice, which made the deepest parts of him quiver. This wasn't someone to mess around with-not even in joking. He was seriously someone who could do far worse than what Naruto had heard of in his years on the streets; and this knowledge made every instinct in the boy scream: run! "Don't tell me or Sasuke what to do." Naruto forced himself to push back his senses of self-preservation as he gave the man the middle finger. No one talked about Naruto's friends like they were property-or even less than that. He knew all too well what could happen if people started believing they were worthless.

"You're just as bold as your father…I will take pleasure in breaking you…" Orochimaru stated coolly as he took a step towards Naruto, noticing immediately how the blonde's muscles tightened as he took another step closer. For good measure-and to satisfy his own sadistic pleasure-the hebi added, "like I did Sasuke…"

"Teme…" Naruto growled, glaring at the man who, surprisingly, took a step backwards. Orochimaru wasn't stupid and knew that the red glint in the teen's eyes was a warning. The blonde's entire body was held in a way that told the man that this child wasn't just a pretty bed partner of his son. This child had seen blood…and had done the spilling herself. (A/N: not a typo…Orochimaru still thinks 'Aoi' is a girl…kay…/smiles/ gomen nasai…for interrupting…)

Orochimaru smiled, realizing how much fun it would be to break such a spirited, murderous, person. He waved a hand at the girl as he took a deep breath. "Kukuku…you might be more fun than I thought…well then…Sasuke's coming back…I hope you won't tell him what we were talking about…he'd hate to hear you know how _precious_ he is…"

Naruto broke his eyes away from the man as he heard feet pounding-coming closer with every second. He immediately recognized the heavy steps as Sasuke's and noticed that the boy was running. He took a step towards Orochimaru and smiled, letting the man see his sharpened canines. "Only if you never say a word about me to Sasuke…" The snake returned the toothy grin and brought a hand to Naruto's face and caressed the strange scars. "It was nice meeting you, Orochimaru-sama…"

"Iie…I already said the pleasure was all mine, _Naruto_-kun…don't be so surprised…" A long nail traced the top scratch on Naruto's face as the snake chuckled at the amazed expression on the boy's face. Even though he had only mouthed the name, the boy had gotten his meaning-his knowledge. He hadn't been sure until a moment ago, but as he stood only a hairsbreadth away from the teen, he could clearly see that the indescribable beauty Naruto held wasn't only because he was slightly feminine-it was because he was, somehow, beyond gender. His features were raw, unmarred by age and experience, and it was so tempting to take that away. Standing so close to Naruto, he could see the telltale male features of his new interest. A small Adams apple had somehow missed Orochimaru's inspection of the teen until now. The name had come to him before, when he dug through his vast mass of memories to remember what the blonde-whose features mirrored the short blonde in front of him-had named his child. It then clicked in the snake's mind as he remembered that the man didn't just have a child, he had a _son_, who he had named Naruto. _How could I have forgotten?_ Orochimaru wondered as Naruto finally jerked his face away and stepped away from Orochimaru right as he felt a pair of eyes glaring at him and the snake who was still clucking to himself. Naruto turned to look at the Uchiha and smiled.

_You really are an amazing person, Sasuke…_

/…same time as all that…I just had to write it…so, read on!\

"Sasuke-kun…if you don't mind my asking…how long have you…known that girl?" Anko asked curiously as she followed her handsome son. She still couldn't believe her luck. Out of all her husband's adopted children and attendants, Sasuke was by far the most handsome. Only Itachi and, perhaps, Kimimaro came in anywhere close to the boy in looks. And her oldest adopted son hated Orochimaru almost as much as Sasuke, so she never saw much of him. And then, there was Kimimaro-who was going to die soon. She had to admit, she wasn't sorry. She actually was glad that the boy was finally going to be gone. The sickly teen had always made her feel slightly uneasy-afraid that in one of his tantrums, he could do serious harm to her. Sasuke, on the other hand, never had a fit, like the rest of his siblings. He merely took things in stride, always remaining calm and quiet as he gave glares to people. Anko knew of the kinds of things Orochimaru was capable of, and what he did to Sasuke to get the boy to bolt so abruptly, but she wasn't going to lose her status-her well earned riches-to stop the man's sole hobby, and by doing so anger Orochimaru. She had tried _once,_ right after Sasuke and Itachi had moved in, and still had the marks from her attempt.

"Months…" Sasuke replied coldly as he took another turn down the winding corridors. Anko followed him, wondering if that meant he had been _with_ her for months, or if they had had a platonic relationship earlier. She didn't put Sasuke as the type to have a friendship with someone who rivaled him in natural beauty-she always thought he'd be the one to 'bed now, never ask questions.' Sasuke was someone who hated getting close to people, especially on an emotional level. That meant that this girl must either be as emotionally barren as Sasuke, or she could take all of his angst and still stand by his side. Either way, this girl was obviously made for her son-and she had gotten Sasuke to change, which made her wonderful in Anko's eyes.

"I'm…happy for you," Anko stated softly, knowing that Sasuke wouldn't believe her. He huffed, but didn't turn around to look at her. It had always been that way between them. She would try to be nice to him-at least kinder to him than anyone else-and he would just ignore her. She knew she made mistakes in raising her children, especially Sasuke, but she never had a motherly instinct. She was just as lost as he was whenever something happened. While Sasuke merely bottled things up, Anko ignored them completely. "Sasuke-kun…I know I've made some mistakes…in raising you…demo-"

"Don't try to be a mother now…" Sasuke retorted, his voice even more cold than Anko was accustomed to. She frowned, knowing that Sasuke was right-but, as stubborn as her son, she wouldn't admit it, even under pain of death. "I don't need it…"

"I know…" Anko replied, watching her son's back as she stopped walking, and studied those proud shoulders as he continued walking. Sasuke didn't notice Anko was no longer following him until he reached Kimimaro's room. He opened the door and slid into the room, immediately noticing the distinctive smell of hospitals…of death and sickness. He watched the thin form on the bed, noticing that the machinery hooked up to him moved more than the white-haired boy did.

"Sasuke…didn't think you'd come…" the immobile boy whispered as Sasuke moved closer. He opened his eyes, revealing deep green orbs filled with pain. Sasuke couldn't help but smile at the irony of it. Kimimaro was, probably, the strongest out of all Orochimaru's adopted children, but he was beaten by an illness he had from childhood. The dying boy raised an eyebrow, which made the two red dots on his forehead shift slightly. "Nani?"

"…I didn't think I'd come back either…" Sasuke replied, noticing how his comment had lessened the pain in his 'brother's' eyes. He sighed and sat down in a chair next to the bed, moving his hand up to the teen's face to brush away a few pale hairs. "…you look like shit…"

"Arigatou, bastard…" Kimimaro retorted, trying to sit up, but knew it was impossible for his weakening body. Sasuke, somehow knowing what his paralyzed brother wanted, gently pulled Kimimaro's body forward with one hand while he rearranged pillows with his broken arm. The large cast didn't escape Kimimaro's eyes and, as soon as the teen was laid back down, now being able to look at Sasuke eye-to-eye. "What did you do?"

"Got in a fight…open fracture…" Sasuke said calmly, raising an eyebrow as Kimimaro tried to snicker, but it only came out as a painful cough. "…a girl from my class…"

"…a girl?…what kind of girl would hit the Ice Prince?" Kimimaro asked curiously, closing his eyes as a wave of pain hit him. The doctors had used so many painkillers in his years of life that he had become almost immune to their effects. Nowadays, he preferred not to be on anything and was glad he had made that decision. He wouldn't have wanted to be unconscious or hazy when Sasuke came to visit. "She must be a lesbian…" He cracked an eye open quickly enough to catch the quick blush that swept over Sasuke's face. But, just like that, it was gone. "Ah…a girlfriend?"

"I-iie…I only kissed her…" Sasuke retorted, forcing himself to keep his emotions from seeping into his voice. Kimimaro smiled at his reply, remembering all the times Sasuke cringed away from _any_ human contact, let alone _letting_ someone get close enough to him to kiss him.

"Did you bring her with you?" Kimimaro wondered, the information Sakon had given him only a few minutes ago finally making sense. The twin had told him that Sasuke had brought along a 'bombshell of a blonde,' which he had said were Kidoumaru's words, not his (but Sakon merely scoffed at the idea of the newcomer being pretty, since he was attracted only to his own brother). The pair had wondered for a moment why _Sasuke_ had returned, let alone bring a beauty along with him. Sakon guessed that Orochimaru would be attracted to her, which gave Sasuke even more of a reason to keep her away. But, hearing that she had actually bested Sasuke in a fight, Kimimaro knew that this pretty thing could take care of herself.

"Hai…" Kimimaro turned his head long enough to see Sasuke's eyes widen in realization. The ill teen knew exactly why. Sasuke had left his girlfriend alone with Orochimaru. Sasuke, without even saying another word to his dying brother, flew out of the room and ran back down the hallways all the while praying that Orochimaru had kept his preferences to boys only. Sasuke, so caught up in his own thoughts, didn't notice that he ran past Anko, who was munching on dango as she slowly walked back towards the gardens. He didn't slow down until he reached the area he had left his pedophilic father and the blonde, at which point, he froze and studied the pair standing uncomfortably close to each other.

"Iie…I already said the pleasure was all mine," Orochimaru said softly, then mouthed something at Aoi, which had gotten her expression to quickly change to amazement…and fear. Sasuke glared at the man who dared threaten her as he caught the rest of his father's statement. "…don't be so surprised…" _Bastard…_he thought to himself as he began plotting out the snake's death. Before he had the chance to implement his murderous idea, Aoi turned to look at Sasuke and…_smiled._

"We're leaving," Sasuke stated gruffly as he walked forwards, forcing himself to take deep breaths after his sprint. He grabbed Aoi by the wrist and gave his 'father' a look; a challenge, before he started to pull Aoi away from the slithery man.

"How was Kinimaro-kun?" Orochimaru asked, laughter in his voice as he watched the pair leave, the blonde cursing at Sasuke for hurting her wrist. _This will be fun…_the man thought to himself as he watched the bickering couple walk away.

/ yay…next section…I promised to talk about Gaara's love (check ending rant for last chapter)…so this'll be a long chapter!\

Sasuke and Naruto rode in uncomfortable silence for nearly half an hour before the blonde started to fidget in his seat. _Is he mad at me for something?_ Naruto wondered as he watched Sasuke's hands loosen in their death grip of the steering wheel. "Dobe…I didn't mean to leave you there with _him_."

"It's okay…I could have skinned that slimy bastard if he tried anything!" Naruto exclaimed, showing off a few karate moves from in his restrained seat, which only led to Sasuke chuckling as the blonde tried to figure out how he twisted his seat belt around his entire body-and somehow untangle himself. Once Naruto had finally beaten the thin confinement, he looked at Sasuke, who was looking slightly better than before. At least that murderous glare was gone. "Oi, teme…when did that guy adopt you?"

"When I was six…" Sasuke replied, his voice warning Naruto not to ask anymore questions about the pale man. Naruto watched Sasuke, able to see that there was something that hurt the Uchiha-and it didn't have to do with Orochimaru. As if knowing what Naruto's next question would be, Sasuke added, "my biological parents died when I was young…"

"How?" Naruto hated to ask-hated to make Sasuke relive that which obviously pained him to even think about. The blonde watched Sasuke, noticing that the raven-haired teen slowed the car down marginally as he sighed. "Y-you don't have to tell me…"

"…an accident…" Sasuke said calmly as he returned to his original speed. Naruto tightened his grip on the handle as he watched buildings wiz by. Not even Zabuza-on a bad day-while drunk and making out with Haku drove this recklessly--and Naruto couldn't help but eep when he saw Sasuke run a red light-or whatever that red spot was about two blocks back. He turned to look at Sasuke, who had had assumed would look mad, but the Uchiha was actually pretty calm looking-as if the tragic fact his parents died in an accident didn't affect him. Naruto smiled sadly as he looked down at his own hands, knowing that he had done the same thing when something was so painful that he couldn't deal with it. He ignored it-pretended like it didn't hurt; like it didn't happen. And when realization finally hit…it was far worse than taking it slowly.

"Gomen…" Naruto said softly, knowing that, while an apology wouldn't bring back Sasuke's parents, it hopefully would make the Uchiha realize Naruto understood the pain. Sasuke glanced over at Naruto and sighed. "My parents died when I was still a baby…I can't remember either of them…"

"…how?" Sasuke was reluctant to ask until he saw the water appearing in the blonde's blue eyes-not tears of sorrow or pain, but of loss. He inwardly sighed as he watched Naruto smile again. Here he was, having the opportunity to actually _remember_ a bit about his parents, but the blonde couldn't even picture his family. And Sasuke couldn't bear to think about his real parents most of the time; maybe it was because of how he lost them.

"…my mother died giving birth to me…and my father died in an accident a few weeks later…" Naruto replied softly, turning to look at Sasuke. "I wasn't adopted until I was about eight…" He was surprised to see Sasuke's eyebrow go up at his comment. Naruto thought it must have been that Sasuke had only waited a few _days_ before being adopted--too bad he was adopted by terrible parents.

Sasuke had actually been surprised to know that no one had _wanted_ to adopt such a bouncy, cheerful child when she (A/N: NOT A TYPO!…kay…)was a baby. And having to wait years until someone was willing to take her in? People must not have realized how special Aoi was. He smirked, thinking of something to get the blonde back to her usual demeanor-annoying. "The only people who wanted to adopt you were a bunch of gays…"

Naruto bit his lip to stop himself from laughing at Sasuke's form of a joke. He shook his head, making golden tresses fly in every direction. "Oi, teme…don't talk about my fathers!" Sasuke glanced over at Aoi, seeing the usual smile on her face. "They're great! And I'm sure they would _love_ you!"

Sasuke twitched slightly at that. He knew he was desirable-for a person of either sex (obviously, considering Orochimaru's attentions towards him, as well as his brother's)-but hearing it from Aoi's mouth made it sound…different. "No wonder you're so messed up, dobe."

"Messed up? That's not my fathers' doing-it was totally my brother's and his boyfriend's fault!" Naruto retorted, smirking when he saw the surprise in Sasuke's eyes. Most people believed that gays couldn't raise a child, but Naruto and Haku were perfect children (both bisexual, but otherwise the same as other teens their age). "And what was that look for? My brother's even prettier than you!"

That got Sasuke to look away from Naruto so he wouldn't see the smile on the boy's face. "I'm not pretty!" Sasuke retorted as soon as he got his expression under control. Naruto snorted, raising an eyebrow. The Uchiha, since he was keeping his eyes off of the blonde so he wouldn't have the odd urge to laugh again, didn't notice Naruto's hand drifting closer to him until it was too late.

"Nope…Kawaii!" Naruto cried as he slid his hand underneath Sasuke's tank top and tickled for all he was worth. The Uchiha, obviously trying to keep a straight face as he continued driving while squirming away from Naruto's unbelievably warm fingers, surprised himself at how ticklish he was, especially on his sides. Naruto snickered as he saw Sasuke's resolve crumble and the stoic boy let out a _giggle_. "…did you just…giggle?" Naruto asked, staring at the, now, blushing teen. Sasuke, taking deep breaths as he tried to stop a second sound from escaping his lips, glanced over at Naruto and glared for all he was worth.

"I did not giggle…" Sasuke snapped, with less venom than he usually would have had. The blonde simply smiled and nodded his head, then unhooked his seatbelt so he could lean against Sasuke's shoulder. Naruto didn't mean to yawn, but did so anyways as he snuggled closer to the raven-haired teen. Sasuke glanced down at the digital clock on his stereo and was surprised to see it was already almost four in the afternoon. It had somehow slipped his mind that Orochimaru's estates (the ones that they visited, that is) were a three hour drive (with Sasuke behind the wheel) from Konoha. While the ride itself didn't seem that long to Sasuke, he had forgotten that the blonde resting against his shoulder had gotten only a little sleep the night before-and probably even less the night before that. Sasuke looked through the windshield, noticing that the buildings were becoming more familiar. "Oi, dobe…"

Naruto mumbled softly, already starting to fall asleep on Sasuke's comfortable shoulder, about bastards and being loud. Sasuke sighed and gently shook his shoulder to wake up the blonde. When that didn't work, Sasuke suddenly wrenched his shoulder away from Naruto and smirked as he heard the teen curse. "The hell was that for?" Naruto grumbled as he slowly sat back up in his own seat.

"For falling asleep on me, usuratonkachi," Sasuke replied before glancing over at the blonde. "Where do you live?" Naruto raised an eyebrow as he looked at Sasuke, wondering where that question came from. "So I can drop you off, dobe."

Naruto smiled sheepishly as he put his seatbelt back on. "Um…y'know the club Masquerade?" Sasuke nodded his head slightly. He had become a regular at the club ever since Gaara had shown it to him, so he knew how to get to it from this direction. _Why?_ Sasuke wondered for a moment before he saw, out of the corner of his eye, the blonde open his mouth. "I live in an apartment above it…"

Sasuke raised an eyebrow at this. He hadn't known there _were_ even apartments in that area, let alone right above a night club. How did she ever get any sleep? He wasn't going to ask, since it was none of his business why his classmate was willing to live above such a loud business. Naruto noticed Sasuke's change in expression and smirked. "It's my place…no one helps me pay rent or anything…it's…real freedom…" Naruto commented as he watched Sasuke's reaction, which was understanding. Sasuke had to go quite far just to get away from Orochimaru's influence. And, every time he entered his home, he was reminded that the snake had nothing to do with this small place-Sasuke had gotten it with his own money (his inheritance) and furnished it with things _he_ wanted-he was even able to do whatever he wanted; have whoever he wanted over. "Of course, my brother lives next door and my parents are always close by, so I'm never really alone…" Naruto added softly, wondering what it had to be like for Sasuke. To live alone, without any family around to help him if he needed it, it must have been hard for Sasuke. Naruto inwardly shook his head, remembering that Sasuke had Neji, Hinata, and Gaara here-and he also had the entire drama club now.

"How long have you lived there?" Sasuke wondered out loud as he took a sharp turn, which made Naruto lurch to the side. The blonde glared at Sasuke for a moment, rubbing his aching shoulder that had been slammed into the door before thinking about the teen's question.

"Hmm…ever since the beginning of this school year. My family used to live on the other side of town…but we all moved closer to my fathers' work in August," Naruto replied truthfully. Kakashi and Iruka had gotten jobs as teachers in the high school, something that even surprised Iruka at the time. Before then, Kakashi and Zabuza worked as bodyguards for some kind of celebrity, while Iruka worked as a teacher in an elementary school-despite the fact he had gotten his masters for teaching science. Iruka actually had the credentials to be a college professor, but it seemed that no high school or college wanted a teacher with such a questionable upbringing to work for them. Haku, like Naruto, didn't actually have a paying job at the time, except for whatever errands he ran for neighbors-and the allowances Iruka always slipped to them while Kakashi and Zabuza weren't looking (neither man would admit it, but they were very _thrifty_ when it came to money, unlike Iruka who loved to sneak the boys away and go shopping).

Haku's other job was home schooling Naruto-which, in itself, should have been a paying job. He wasn't a bad teacher, in Naruto's mind, since he himself was taught by Iruka, but Naruto had always had a problem understanding things. The only thing that had ever come easy to the boy was athletics and acting. It still amazed Naruto that, after just a short while of being tutored by Sasuke, he was finally understanding all his classes-even math!

Naruto smiled when he saw Sasuke's eyebrow raise. He wouldn't say anything about his family's night jobs-not yet, at least-to Sasuke, but somehow, the raven-haired teen understood. By sheer luck, Naruto and Haku had picked out their own apartments right over a warehouse that, in a few weeks, was turned into a raging nightclub-whose owner just happened to be a good friend of their fathers. Jiraiya and Tsunade were partners in business and, once the blonde woman had caught sight of Naruto's odd family of five men, kidnapped them all and dragged the group to Jiraiya, who had immediately recognized Kakashi as his pupil's own pupil (a confusing relationship in Naruto's mind), and he also had looked at Naruto oddly, as if he had seen him before.

It had taken Naruto weeks to drag it out of the old man how exactly Jiraiya knew him. It still amazed Naruto that this man actually had _known_ his real father-not only that, but the ero-sennin had been able to tell Naruto that Kakashi knew his late father as well! Knowing that, Naruto didn't let the perverted author go until Jiraiya answered most of the questions Naruto had been dying to ask for years-as long as he could remember. While the man had never exactly told Naruto why his father died-or what exactly he was or did-he told Naruto that his father was a highly respected teacher in the nearby high school and that Jiraiya had taught him while he was still a child. And, in turn, Naruto's father had taught Kakashi. After learning that Kakashi was very close to his father, Naruto started liking the silver-haired pervert and respected the scarecrow a great deal more. When he learned his father had gone to, and taught at, the same school where Iruka and Kakashi were going to work, Naruto had jumped at the chance to apply to the, as he found out, very selective school. It wasn't the fact he was home schooled that made them reject his application, or that he wasn't legally adopted-it was that people hated him as soon as they saw his name. Naruto, seeing no other choice, created a fake identity-Uzumaki Aoi-in order to get into the school. He had originally _planned_ to be male, but found that people accepted him easier when he didn't correct them on his gender. No one ever acted like he was some kind of monster while he hid under the name Aoi-no one suspected…not even Iruka, Kakashi, Jiraiya, or the other teachers who had met Naruto in his 'male form' either while he worked his afternoons in the club or at a party for one of his fathers (most of the teachers were old classmates of silver-haired man and had jumped at the chance to rekindle their old relations with him…and his cute lover). Naruto had only told one person about his deceit, Haku, since he needed someone to cover for him during the day and also to help him pull off his act. The older teen was the one who got Naruto to agree to wearing the long haired wig, but it was Naruto who had discovered that stage makeup could cover up the unforgettable scars on his face. The pair had worked on Naruto's act for the few weeks before the school year began, making sure Naruto walked like a woman, talked like one, acted like one even down to figuring out to blush and cry whenever he (she) wanted. And, the day before school began, they put Naruto's disguise to the test and the dolled-up teen went to the club.

Naruto was scared at the time, but was surprised that no one gave him an odd look. Instead, most people just looked at him with hungry eyes, except for the (obvious) gay customers. Not even Zabuza had given him a second look as he walked up to the bouncer (another one of Tsunade's ideas) and was let in. He had actually held a conversation with Kakashi on the Icha Icha novels for nearly half an hour that night-and the lecherous man had only tried to grab Naruto once. Somehow, Iruka had seen from the other side of the crowded room, and flew over like a bat out of hell and dragged the man away, grumbling about horny boyfriends. That had ended their conversation. Confident in his disguise, Naruto began school as Aoi and acted exactly like he and Haku had planned-until he caught a glimpse of Sasuke. For some reason, Naruto just couldn't act 'feminine' in front of Sasuke-as if the boy would have just seen through the act anyways. It had been coincidence that Naruto had actually _met_ Sasuke, then accidentally mentioned the drama club in Sasuke's presence…and the rest was history.

The blonde was proud he found an amazing actor hiding behind that angst-filled boy. Not only that, but Sasuke had changed because of the drama club. He had become more outspoken, less 'glare,' and, if it was even possible-Sasuke actually started acting human; with feelings. "Dobe, we're here," Sasuke said coolly as Naruto blinked. He hadn't realized he had gotten caught up in his own thoughts-something that had never happened before he met Sasuke.

"Hehe…" Naruto moved to open his door, but was surprised to see it was already open and a pale hand was waiting, impatiently, for him. With a snicker, Naruto let his own hand rest in Sasuke's and let the boy 'help' him out of the car. Naruto pulled Sasuke towards the building. Seeing that it wasn't anywhere close to opening time yet, Naruto was surprised to see Zabuza leaning against the club's entrance. Naruto glanced over at the steps that led up to his apartment, then back to the large man-who looked like he was angrier than usual. There was no way Naruto and Sasuke could slip by without the man seeing them. Naruto took a few hesitant steps towards the rusty steps, freezing when he heard Zabuza cough.

"Baka…you're brother's been flipping out for two days…" the man said gruffly. Now Naruto realized why Zabuza was in a bad mood-when Haku got hysterical, worried, or emotional in any way (other than horny) he denied Zabuza sex until whatever got him bent out of shape was fixed. And, Naruto not coming home for two days, was on Haku's list of reasons for 'flipping out.' With a sheepish grin, Naruto waved at Zabuza.

"Aww, don't worry, Zabuza…Haku'll make up for it tonight," Naruto replied, smirking when he saw, not only Zabuza, but Sasuke blush slightly. The man huffed while Sasuke's mouth opened slightly. Continuing on his journey to his apartment, Naruto pulled Sasuke along. Once he reached the metal staircase, Sasuke snapped out of his stupor.

"That…was your brother's…" Sasuke mumbled in amazement. He had always thought Zabuza was the straightest thing he had ever seen-the man certainly didn't seem like the 'gay' type in Sasuke's mind. But, then again, neither did Gaara.

"Boyfriend? Yep…they've been together for…five years, I think…" Naruto replied, smiling when he saw Sasuke raise an eyebrow at the 'five years' thing. "That's nothing compared to my fathers. They've been together since they were teenagers…" _That would be…over ten years…damn…their fifteenth anniversary is going to be coming up soon…_Naruto thought to himself as he led Sasuke up the creaking steps. The steps _looked_ dangerous, but were actually quite safe. They hadn't broken yet and that, in Naruto's mind, meant they were fine. Naruto stepped up onto the landing after mentally counting the twenty steps-something he had always done…in case he was walking up the steps while drunk-which he had done a few times-and didn't want to misjudge if there was another step there or not. The pair passed three doors, stopping at the fourth and Naruto looked at the brass number 10 (the numbers were far from in order). "So…do you want to come in?" Naruto asked softly, turning to look at Sasuke while wondering how terrible his apartment looked this week. Inwardly, he smiled, realizing how this was _exactly _how things had happened in Icha Icha Paradise, Volume 2, even down to the cliché dialogue-and if they ended the same, Naruto wouldn't be one to complain.

"…" Sasuke looked from the door to the beautiful blonde waiting for an answer and an image from Icha Icha Paradise Volume 2 (page 227) popped into his head and his face flamed up. Naruto looked at the blush that passed across the teen's face curiously. "I-I…" Naruto smiled and tightened his grip on Sasuke's hand as he bent forwards, capturing Sasuke's stuttering lips in a gentle kiss.

_………_Sasuke couldn't even think of something to _think_ when he felt the blonde's soft lips on his, except to return the pressure. Naruto smiled when he felt Sasuke lean into the kiss and brought one hand up to rest on Sasuke's shoulder while his other pulled Sasuke's arm so it wrapped around his waist. Sasuke tightened his grip around the smaller teen's waist, bringing him flush against his chest, and deepened the kiss. Naruto, for all his experience, was at a loss for what to do as a whirlwind of pleasure enveloped him. Not even Gaara had made him feel so lightheaded…so…amazing. Naruto let his emotions take control as the handsome teen licked every corner of Naruto's mouth.

Naruto moaned softly into the kiss, weaving his fingers into Sasuke's hair as he shifted to give the Uchiha more access to his mouth. Sasuke, like Naruto, decided to 'go with the flow' and just live for the moment. His body had never felt like this before-he had never trembled like this, as if the blonde was the only thing holding him up and that they were the only people existing in their own little world, where everything Sasuke thought he knew about _anything_ was lost. Sasuke finally understood why, every time he turned around, Neji and Hinata were kissing, holding each other; as were every other couple he knew. The blonde's kisses were amazing, to the point, Sasuke couldn't even think of a word to describe it, except that it was addictive, even more so than any drug he had tried-and its effects were far greater. Realizing that, if he didn't stop kissing his classmate, he wouldn't be able to stop whatever might happen next, Sasuke reluctantly pulled back. As he did so, he gingerly touched those lips with his own, now swollen and a flushed pink from their impassioned kiss.

Sasuke slowly opened his eyes as he stood back up, not being able to remember when he had actually shut his eyes. He looked down at the blonde, noticing how Naruto's face was flushed and he was taking short gasps for air. Sasuke blushed slightly, grasping that he was the reason his dobe was out of breath.

"Wow…" was all Naruto could say as he looked up at Sasuke, whose eyes said that the Uchiha was thinking along the same lines. _No way he's never been kissed before! Kuso! I know I'm good at it…but not _that_ good!_ Naruto inwardly cried, realizing that Sasuke was now his rival in something else…that had nothing to do with school or acting.

"I-I better be going…" Sasuke mumbled, loosening his grip on Naruto. He glanced down and saw the blonde pout for a moment, but the usual smiling expression returned quickly. He bowed his head low enough to brush his lips against Naruto's cheek, then stepped back, away from the blonde.

_I…I just…with…Sasuke…AAH!_ Naruto stared, unable to get his vocal cords to work properly until Sasuke, finishing his descent down the stairs, walking away from the warehouse. "Oi, teme!" Naruto called, smiling to himself when he saw Sasuke start walking faster. "I'm talking to you, hentai!" At that, Sasuke screeched to a halt and turned around to look up at the blonde. Naruto leaned over the rickety balcony and chuckled. "I'm going to come visit you tomorrow, bastard!"

"I'll lock my doors," Sasuke retorted quietly, but from the snicker that drifted down to him, he knew the blonde had heard him. He shook his head and smirked as he continued his walk to his car, his head filled with confusing thoughts.

"What the hell was that!" Naruto spun around to find a screeching Haku, waving a spoon at him. He raised an eyebrow at the shaking spoon, then remembered than Haku had adopted one of Iruka's nervous habits-cooking. He coughed, glancing back down at the ground, but saw that Sasuke had disappeared. "You-you leave without so much as a 'sayonara' or 'ja ne' two nights ago…_two nights!_…and I nearly worried myself sick, having to make up excuses for your absence for Iruka and Kakashi…_and_ I come out for a breath of fresh air and find you playing tonsil tennis with some unknown guy! What happened to Gaara! And who was he!" Haku pointed with the spoon over the balcony, accidentally throwing the spoon through the air. The blonde raised his eyebrow at that and Haku just glared at his favorite spoon flying away.

"…Gaara and I broke up two nights ago…and that guy's the one I was telling you about, aniki," Naruto replied, rubbing his aching ears with a finger. Haku's furious expression changed drastically at Naruto's comment. As expected, the older teen's eyes started to water and he glomped Naruto.

"Aww…I'm so sorry to hear about you and Gaara!" he cried as he cradled Naruto's head between his chest and arms. Naruto, struggling for breath, squirmed out of his brother's grasp and took a step back. Naruto took a deep breath, wondering how much he should tell Haku, knowing how easily he overreacted (obviously). "…mate…he's…the one guy from your school!…" Haku grabbed the front of Naruto's shirt and pulled the boy in front of his face. "There weren't guys like that where I went to school!"

"You only went to school for two years…when you were in elementary school," Naruto pointed out, which Haku ignored as he raised a thin eyebrow at his brother, giving Naruto the 'explain yourself' look. "He…I…I _hit_ him yesterday when we got into a fight at school." Disregarding Haku's 'you got into a fight at school!' outburst, Naruto continued, "I broke his arm…and I went over to his house to apologize last night after thinking some things over…and I kissed him…"

"You kissed him last night…and were making out in the open today? That kiss didn't look like something that happens on the second day, if you know what I mean," Haku stated, his voice revealing that he already didn't like Sasuke. "And that doesn't explain why you couldn't have _called_ today!"

"…anou…sa…I fell asleep at Sasuke's last night and we went to visit his family today…since we were both kicked out of school for a week…" Naruto mumbled, wincing in preparation for Haku's exclamation, but it never came. He looked up and saw his brother smiling. "Nandattebayo?"

"…if he brought you to meet his family…then I guess I could get to know him…" Haku said softly, loosening his grip on Naruto's shirt. "He knows about you being a guy, right?" Naruto nodded his head, then lowered his gaze to the ground, but Haku caught the blush on his face. "You didn't…"

"Iie! What do you think I am, Haku!" Naruto exclaimed, his eyes snapping back up to meet his brother's. "I passed out at his house and, when I woke up, I found out Sasuke had changed me out of my wet clothes!"

"…it was raining last night, wasn't it…" Haku muttered to himself thoughtfully, then looked at Naruto's face. "If you got sick from wandering around in the rain again…Iruka'll have my hide!" Naruto smiled and pulled his brother into an embrace. Haku relaxed in Naruto's arms and sighed. "You really scared me, gaki…"

"Will you ever forgive me?" Naruto asked innocently as he nuzzled his nose into Haku's neck. The older teen snickered as he wrapped his arms around Naruto's broader shoulders and held him tightly. He knew the pain of rejection, and also how it felt to be rejected by the one you love; and every time Zabuza had pushed him away, he had ran to Naruto for comfort. It was about time he could repay the debt.

"Only if you eat everything I've been cooking…" Haku replied gently, closing his eyes when he felt Naruto's shoulders shake slightly. The blonde tried so hard to pretend that other peoples' words and actions didn't hurt him, but there was always going to be a breaking point. And that point's name was Gaara.

"Then you better give Zabuza the best sex of his life…he looked like he was about to eat me before…" Naruto whispered, his voice wavering, as he smiled into Haku's warm neck. He felt Haku let out a sigh and reveled in the warmth he always felt around his brother.

"He's just horny…"

"Nah, he's a pervert like the rest of 'em," Naruto replied, chuckling when he felt Haku rap his head gently. Haku was the only one allowed to talk badly about Zabuza; it was the rules. "Gomen…he's more than just a pervert."

"Same could be said for you, Naru-kun."

/\

Authoress: twenty two pages /whistles/ okay, since I'm on Spring vacation…for two whole weeks…can you handle it!…okay…yeah…it's a lil' late for me…so, since I'm on vacation, that means I'll definitely put up chapters every day or two (maybe not to this story, but definitely to one of them!…maybe even start a new one…)

Gaara: You were supposed to have me in this chapter…

Authoress: YOU WERE MENTIONED, WHAT MORE DO YOU WANT!…/sighs/ okay, he's right…I was supposed to have Gaara finding his one true love this chapter…but if we did that…this chapter would be so long, no one would want to read it (I have that problem a few times…it's just like…/looks at the tiny sliver of a scrollbar/ WTF! That'll take me hours to read!…yeah….I spaz a bit…)

Neji: I wasn't even in this chapter…you shouldn't complain…

Gaara: true…

Authoress: oh, and to GET EVERYBODY ON THE SAME PAGE OF UNDERSTANDING HERE! (caps were used to make sure people took notice in my rants…) this is for my reviewers, like sugarpixie02, Hikari no Kurai, looli, and all my other reviewers with questions…yes…Aoi is Naruto in disguise (we figured that out this chapter…along with the 'does he stuff' question…yep…Naruto stuffs his shirt…there's no other way the whole disguise would work…)…Naruto screamed "Sasuke!" while having sex with Gaara (and we all know how possessive and jealous Gaara can be), which got them to break up…making this a definite Sasuke/Naruto fic…and, for the list who knows that Aoi is Naruto…

Naruto (obviously)

Haku (…okay, we've figured out that out this chapter…)

Hinata (who the hell do you think changed Naruto at Sasuke's the other night!)

Neji (…he doesn't know "Aoi" isn't Naruto's real name…but he knows about the cross dressing)

Orochimaru (that came as a surprise, even to me…I was really hungry when I wrote that section…)

And, last but not least…/drum roll/

Gaara (he knows all!…well…he was able to put two and two together himself…A. Naruto cried 'Sasuke,' which means he knew our angst-king…B. he has no real life, so he hangs around the club most days…and noticed that Naruto is nowhere to be found during the day…C. Sasuke has a crush on a beautiful blonde who (coincidentally) sounded like his (at that time) boyfriend…so…voila! He knows the whole deal without even being told!…he's so smart/gives Gaara a cookie/)

Gaara/glares/

Authoress: Until next time…/smiles/ hey, I wrote twenty three pages!…in two days…I'm proud of myself!….Sayonara…and arigatou for the reviews!


	7. It's A Small World

Authoress: okay…I'm already back with chapter seven of Hensou…/glances around/ alright…now…this chapter will be completely devoted to Gaara…unless I have a burst of inspiration in the middle of something…

Gaara: what the hell do you take in the morning?

Authoress: oi, I don't drink caffeine anymore (damn insomnia…and people taking away my beloved instant coffee…who can wait the few minutes for the coffee pot to perk!…not me!)…so I'm currently eating frozen broccoli…and don't give me weird looks…I love broccoli…especially when it's crunchy…so what could be better than ice-encrusted pieces of the oh-so-wonderful vegetable?

Neji:…you're sad, you know that, right?

Authoress: Shuush you!…now, on to the story!

Disclaimer: …do I really need to state this anymore?

Chapter Seven

Gaara glanced down at his beer for the fifth time, wondering when he had finished it. The club had been at its busiest tonight, so Sakura had yet to come around and give him another drink. Taking a moment to think about his day from hell, the Sabaku sighed. First, he had ran into Sasuke's brother, Itachi, while making his usual rounds around the city. The man, needless to say, was less than happy to see Gaara. Their last encounter had ended with Itachi having to go to the hospital for a questionable cut in his penis while the redhead had more than enough bruises and scratches to get Temari into a hysterical fit. This chance meeting wasn't any better. Gaara had glared at the man who had dared to take advantage of his best friend, holding back the comments he had used on the pedophilic, incestuous bastard last time. Sasuke had made Gaara promise he wouldn't get into another fight with Itachi after he found out about their last scuffle.

Of course, upon seeing the smirking Uchiha, all remembrances of his promise to Sasuke flew out of his mind as he whipped out a pocket knife (the same one that he had used against Itachi last time) and was about to attack the man when he realized that Itachi hadn't been alone.

Sitting at the bar right now was proof enough that Gaara had learned how to take care of himself and was quite proficient in that area-when there was only one or two opponents. Too bad he picked the day to attack Itachi when his whole 'Akatsuki' gang were hanging out on his street corner. Gaara had saved himself from certain mortal injuries by sheer luck in the form of his older brother. Kankuro, who was (shockingly) a Pacifist, had started to ignore the whole brawl until he realized that it was Gaara being attacked by thirteen pissed off (and, quite frankly, scary) men. His beliefs of peace didn't apply when his baby brother was concerned.

Within moments, the Akatsuki gang had discovered that Kankuro was equal to them in ruthlessness and, with his brother at his side, Gaara had been able to send three of the creepy members to the hospital with large gashes across their bodies. Kankuro, on the other hand, had thrown a few into unconsciousness and, before the pair could take on Itachi and another creepy gang member, who they recognized as, Akatsuki's leader, what was left of the gang dispersed when they heard police sirens. Kankuro, who was far less injured than Gaara, was forced to carry his brother for at least five blocks-and unceremoniously dropped the redhead on his ass once he was sure they had lost the police.

It was then that Kankuro had broken down and started his 'fighting isn't the answer' speech, as he was slapping Gaara to keep the teen awake. Once Gaara had promised not to get into another fight with the Akatsuki (at least, as long as he was alone and they were all present, but Gaara kept that condition to himself), Kankuro had insisted that his brother go to the hospital-which began a whole new argument.

It always made Gaara smile slightly when he remembered what Kankuro used to be like-before he began caring about his younger siblings. The young man was once known as the infamous 'Puppet Master,' one of the most feared gang leaders way back when Gaara was too young to get himself into this kind of trouble. Once Gaara had hit twelve, however, Kankuro had an 'epiphany' (what Temari and Gaara called his moment of enlightenment) and put down his weapons (mainly wire and sharpened darts) in order to start working a normal job that, while it didn't pay quite as well as his life of crime, he was able to enroll Gaara and Temari into schools in the better part of town. Both siblings, however, were kicked out within weeks of beginning classes. Temari had gotten into too many fights and Gaara frightened the entire school population. Kankuro hadn't been happy with either one of them at the time, but he had forgiven them when Temari started working at a nearby hotel-which left Gaara enough time to start teaching himself what he would have learned in school (Sasuke and Neji had let him borrow their books from time to time). Within a few weeks, his older siblings had realized that Gaara was, in fact, a genius; having learned two new languages and being able to understand advanced mathematics with ease. Seeing this, Kankuro tried putting Gaara back in school, but it had the same effects as his earlier attempts. Out of sheer boredom, since he was too young to work and couldn't go to school like other children his age, Gaara started hanging out with Kankuro's old crowd-and soon rose to the top of them due to his intellect and ruthlessness.

For some reason, Gaara had quickly gotten over the novelty of being a 'bad ass' and started up his studies again, but could never rid himself of that stigma. So, while he wasn't studying or hanging out with the few friends he had, Gaara earned himself a living with drugs. Kankuro knew exactly what Gaara did in his spare time and the pair had agreed it would be for the best if Temari never found out, so the blonde was kept in the dark while Gaara always stashed away his earnings, having already decided on what the majority of his money would go into. When Temari finally fell in love (and Kankuro was still sure that would never happen), Gaara told his brother he would pay for the entire wedding, would buy Temari the house of her dreams, and would spoil Temari's children (if she had any) silly. Kankuro's children would have been spoiled as well, if Gaara hadn't already known his brother was unable to reproduce-thanks to an almost negative sperm count.

Just the idea of children terrified Kankuro, since he obviously imagined little demons (who would, oddly, resemble their Uncle Gaara in disposition) making his life even more hellish than it already was. That, and in all his eighteen years of life, Kankuro had never been attracted to _anyone_, which was pitiful. Even Temari, for all of her surly nature, had had herself more than one relationship. Gaara always made fun of his brother with the fact that, even though Kankuro was the most pleasant out of all three siblings, he couldn't get any. Maybe it had something to do with the odd Kabuki makeup Kankuro used to cover up the scars he received in his past life of crime.

"Gaara-san, that bottle won't refill itself, no matter how long you glare at it…" a cheery voice stated from behind the teen. He turned around and smirked when he saw 'Kyuubi' standing in front of him with his arms folded across his chest. This was the second reason his life had been hellish today. Every five minutes, his cell phone would go off and he would have to listen to Iruka's screeching voice (or Haku's, on a few occasions) for five minutes before telling them that he had no idea where their precious Kyuubi was.

"Kyuubi…you should know better than to run off with your father worrying…" Gaara completely turned around on his barstool and watched as the hyper teen smirked, which looked positively demonic with that eerie mask of his. Apparently, Kyuubi had already heard someone's long speech that Gaara had to deal with earlier. The last call had been from Haku, as Gaara was wrapping a particularly nasty gash down his forearm, and the redhead had snapped at the worried teen, telling him to go 'fuck off' (in those exact words). With that, Haku huffed and hung up. In a minute, once his arm was completely coated in white material, Gaara called back (due to an arising suspicion he was growing a conscience) and apologized to the small man, saying that he wasn't in the best of moods at that moment. Haku, knowing not to ask Gaara about what he was doing, had accepted the answer and invited Gaara to the club for a drink.

He had already had that drink with the pretty boy and found out from Haku that Kyuubi had finally come home-almost the exact instant Haku had hung up with Gaara (the second time). He also discovered that the sexy blonde had a new interest-in the form of a raven-haired 'god.' It took only a dreamy look in Haku's eyes for Gaara to smirk. He knew exactly who this god was and, when he got the chance to talk to the Uchiha, wouldn't let his best friend live down the fact he was making out with Gaara's ex-boyfriend for a full five minutes (Haku was enough of a pervert to time his brother's passionate moment).

"Heh…sorry about that…but it was your fault for dumping me so flippantly," Kyuubi retorted, his voice filled with mirth. Gaara raised an eyebrow at the blonde's vocabulary. Obviously, Sasuke was finally having some effect on him. "Oi…how do you know Uchiha Sasuke?"

"…he's my best friend, moron…" Gaara replied calmly, his smirk becoming the barest hints of a true smile when he saw his ex sweat drop. Kyuubi moved closer to the redhead and sat down in an unoccupied stool next to Gaara. "I've known him for years…and Inko told me all about your…afternoon…" It felt strange to Gaara to use Haku's alias-Botan'inko, or Inko, as most people called the pretty boy-since he had gotten so used to talking to the teen outside of the club (Haku had told Gaara he preferred to be called by his real name unless they were in the club, at which point, he had asked Gaara not to mention that he and Kyuubi were brothers, or their relationship to two of the other employees, the 'Sensei' pair). In all the months of being Kyuubi's boyfriend, Gaara had never learned his actual name, but, then again, he never asked what it was.

"What! Oo…he's such a gossip whore!" Kyuubi pouted for a moment, which did nothing to make his appearance any less frightening, but Gaara shook his head at the teen's sporadic actions. That had been one thing that he saw as attractive in the blonde-you could never anticipate what he would do, how he would react to something. Gaara had discovered he liked that sense of not knowing, of being surprised constantly.

"Who's a gossip whore?" Neko asked as the pink-haired girl bounced over to the pair, a barely contained smile on her lips. For some reason, she was radiating with happiness-and it made Gaara and Kyuubi uneasy. This woman was the extreme form of spasmodic…and it was very frightening. "What happened to you, Neko-chan?"

"…anou saa…there's a dance at my school in a couple weeks…and it's really formal, kimonos and everything…and someone asked me to go!" She squealed as she picked up Gaara's empty bottle and, with more energy than either male had ever seen in her, she spun around then raced to get him a new beer.

"…Mate! Who asked you! Not that angst-queen you're always talking about like he walks on water!" Kyuubi exclaimed, which got Gaara to raise his (lack of an) eyebrow. The pink-haired teen bounded back to them and smacked Kyuubi upside the head.

"Sasuke-kun isn't an angst-queen! And, for your information, no, he wasn't the one who asked me!" She retorted as she folded her arms across her leather-clad chest. Kyuubi whimpered as he leaned over the bar and poked his friend in the arm, continuing until she sighed and broke out into a grin. "Alright, alright! I'll tell you…" Neko's mask couldn't hide her blush as she began fidgeting, her eyes glancing to Gaara every few seconds. "K-Kankuro-san…"

"…" Gaara merely stared at the girl, unable to comprehend that his _brother_ had asked the crazy bitch to go to a dance at her school. _How would he have even known about it!_ Gaara wondered as his eyes widened in amazement, remembering all the times he had seen Kankuro act slightly strange. Usually it was just small things, like staring off into space for a second, smiling for no good reason, things like that. Temari had confided in Gaara weeks ago that she thought their brother liked someone, but when they confronted Kankuro, he dismissed the suggestion so nonchalantly, they forgot about the idea entirely.

"…you're…dating Gaara's…brother!" Kyuubi, in a gravity defying move, somehow fell _over_ the bar and started hysterically laughing as soon as he hit the floor on the other side. Neko's face flushed as she dug a heel of her stilettos into the his back, but the amused teen continued laughing at the mere thought of the odd man and such a pretty girl being in a relationship.

"Hai, baka, I am!" Neko snapped before grinding her heel into him one more time for good measure before glancing up at Gaara, who was looking away in attempts not to snicker at his brother's choice in a girlfriend. "Do you have anything to add, Gaara-san?"

"Iie…how long?" Gaara asked flatly, hiding his curiosity. He decided that, if his brother had been seeing the pink-haired girl in secret for over a week, there would be no forgiveness-especially after he told this piece of news to Temari.

"…well…not even a day…" Neko replied, her face resembling a tomato as she stepped over Kyuubi to get closer to Gaara. "I mean…he knew about the dance from Sensei…and…he asked me last night…" She squealed and covered her face with her hands, screaming 'kawaii' as she danced around to music other than that which was blasting out of the speaker system. "He was so embarrassed!"

"…" Gaara had never seen Kankuro 'embarrassed' in all fifteen years of his life-not even once had he caught his brother off guard! To think that his anti-relationship sibling was willing to put his pride on the line and stammer out a request for a date was enough to make Gaara chuckle. Kankuro would never live this down…but Gaara would save the ridicule for the perfect moment and wouldn't tell Temari until he was sure Kankuro would either die of his newfound sense of embarrassment or Gaara would find it impossible to lie to his sister anymore. "Congratulations."

"Arigatou, Gaara-san!" Neko looked down at the male underneath her, who still had to get over his bout of laughter. "See, Kyuubi, at least Gaara-san has manners!" That just made the blonde snort even louder as he rolled around on the floor. Gaara sighed as he downed the entire beer in his hand with one gulp, then waved a quick goodbye to the bickering pair.

Gaara was quick to leave the loud club, having already recognized the beginnings of a migraine. He had made sure to say a quick goodbye to Zabuza as he slipped out into the cool night air and took a deep breath. Simple cold air helped his throbbing head, for the moment, as Gaara started walking along the thin strip of sidewalk. He was glad for his high alcohol tolerance as he started kicking a small pebble down the grey concrete, only weaving once or twice as he studied the round piece of rock.

Within a few minutes, Gaara found himself out of the warehouse district and in the more…exotic nightclubs area. He knew how often people got drunk around here-and a drunk person wasn't someone he was in any condition to fight with, with an oncoming migraine and his quick temper. That added to the fact that, even drunk as he was, Gaara could move extremely quickly meant he could, unintentionally, kill someone if he wasn't careful. He had done serious harm to people when he was in this condition before, but, thankfully, the policeman who had escorted him home had been easily seduced by Temari's (false) charms.

Gaara, even with being careful with his movements, accidentally knocked into a tall man's back. The guy, from the weaving of his green-clad body, was even more drunk than Gaara and, upon turning around to look at the tiny redhead that had hit him, Gaara could see the flushed look on his face, which made Gaara, for the second time tonight, raise a non-existent eyebrow. From the man's body, Gaara would have guessed him to be in his mid-twenties, but that face screamed 'juvenile' almost as much as Gaara's own did.

Gaara, due to that annoying thing called a conscience, was about to apologize, but didn't get a single word out before the young man threw a punch, which Gaara had only been able to dodge by a hairsbreadth. His sea-green eyes widened in amazement at the man's movements. Not only were they quick enough to be able to catch him off guard, but they were amazingly accurate for someone so obviously drunk.

Within seconds, Gaara found it increasingly difficult to dodge the man's attacks, having already taken one kick to his already pained abdomen. Even if he hadn't been beaten up by thirteen gang members earlier today, Gaara was certain that he wouldn't have been able to stand on even grounds with the handsome man. Between assails, he had seen enough of the youth's face to blush slightly. Amidst looking at his mystery-filled eyes and noble brow, Gaara found himself hypnotized by the man's charm. So smitten, in fact, that Gaara was unable to see the man's next attack and, before everything went black, Gaara's face erupted in pain and he noticed what delicate hands this god-like person had.

/haha…that was kind of funny…okay…back to the story…/drum roll/ the next morning!\

Gaara moaned softly as he covered his aching head with both hands, cracking open an eye only when he felt the cold piece of cloth on his forehead. He peeked through his spread fingers long enough to recognize his own bedroom. Curious over why he had such a splitting headache, Gaara tried remembering the previous night. He slowly sat up and removed the compress, setting down the washcloth on the rim of a basin on his nightstand, when he realized the prior night was a blur of drinking and something else.

That something else made Gaara's face warm up as he got to his feet and shuffled over to the full-length mirror attached to the back of his door. He stared at his bandaged ribcage for a moment, remembering his fight with Itachi and the other gang members, then looked at his face, his green eyes widening when he saw the large bruise covering one eye and half of his cheek, along with the majority of his forehead. As he gingerly traced the sickeningly purple mark, images of his fight with the drunk man returned and his face erupted in a blush that he had never experienced before.

"Oh, Gaara, you're awake…" Temari said softly as she opened the door, noticing her brother on the other side, his fingers touching the bruise on his face and, oddly enough, a blush on his face. Smiling slightly, she slipped into the room and wrapped her arms around Gaara's thin frame. "If you get into another fight…I don't know what we're going to do with you…"

"…how did I get home?" Gaara wondered aloud as he pulled himself out of Temari's smothering grasp. His sister smirked and gestured for him to sit down. Gaara, wondering about his sister's peculiar demeanor, sat down on the edge of his bed and watched as Temari started tidying up his room-another very un-Temari-ish thing.

"A man I've seen around the club before…and his son brought you home late last night…what was his name? Gai, I think…" she replied, hiding her smile as she picked up the largest pile of clothes and started searching for the rest of her brother's dirty laundry. "He said that you had gotten into a fight with his son…and, as soon as his son was sober enough, he was apologizing to me for hitting you…it was kind of cute, actually…"

Temari said 'cute'! That was the first time Gaara had heard that particular word out of his sister's mouth, especially when it was concerning Gaara. "…cute?"

"Un…the poor kid was blushing and everything. What did you do to him?" Temari asked, glancing over at her little brother who was, surprisingly, blushing. "Oh…so na…that's what you two were doing…but how did you get a black eye?" Gaara thought about her comment for a moment, then flew off his bed as soon as he realized what she had been thinking.

"I didn't do anything…I…hit into him…and we got into a fight," Gaara retorted hastily, his blush increasing tenfold as he watched Temari nod her head and mumble 'right' sarcastically to herself. Gaara puffed out his cheeks as soon as his sister's back was turned to him, but his blush didn't diminish.

"Gaara…what did you think of that boy, then?" Temari wondered, turning back around quickly enough to catch a glimpse of Gaara's pout, which made her smile. He looked away from her and frowned, but the increase in the pink in his cheeks was enough to tell her exactly what she had been guessing. _Aww, kawaii!_ the teen thought to herself as Gaara let out a breath.

"…he was an amazing fighter…" Gaara commented coolly as he took a sneaked glance at his sister and caught her 'and?' expression. "…and…he was…" Gaara, feeling his heartbeat quicken at the mere thought of his black-haired assailant, quickly fell onto his bed and covered his face with a pillow before Temari could see him blush even further. Her brother's childish act was enough to make Temari chuckle to herself.

"Handsome, ne?" Temari had actually been slightly disturbed at the father-son pair. Between their looks and outfits, she was officially crept out, but Gai's 'spring of youth' speech had been what made Kankuro kick the duo out of their house at two in the morning. There was only so much scariness her brother could take, even with _his_ vast patience. She inwardly sighed, finally giving up on her fantasy that both Kankuro and Gaara would turn out gay, they both would get amazingly hot boyfriends and she would get an equally sexy boyfriend. First, she had yet to find a guy who was up to her 'sexy' standards. Second, with a little prodding, she got Kankuro to admit he finally got himself a girlfriend. Third, her baby brother had somehow become infatuated with creepy eyed, and equally eerie-eye browed, teen with a bowl cut and who wore spandex. The whole image of Gaara's current love interest made Temari shudder. But, being the loving sister she was, she sat down on the bed and rested a hand on Gaara's back. "He obviously liked you too, Gaara…" she said softly as she began gently rubbing his back, something that she had done ever since Gaara was a baby and his insomnia had began. Most nights, when Gaara was still little, rubbing his back was the only way to get him to fall asleep, even though it was usually only for an hour or two.

Temari couldn't see it, but she knew Gaara had smiled into his pillow.

/A/N: should I go on?…hell, let's go to Temari's (nonexistent) love life!\

With a sigh, Temari looked up at the sky and noticed how clear it was out. There were only a few white puffs in the sky, which was a good thing. She had always liked watching clouds fly by, amazed with how quickly the wind had been able to move them. Sighing again, her gaze returned to the large building that she was supposed to be at already. It wasn't the first time she was late for work, but, for once, she had an actual reason. The owner, who was very much a family man himself, would understand that Temari was worried about her brother who had been shipped home unconscious at midnight. She glanced back up at the sky as she crossed over the green lawn of the deer preserve. It wasn't exactly her first choice in a job, to tend to a bunch of deer, but the fuzzy animals had grown on her and nowadays, she was kind of excited to get away from Kankuro and Gaara for a few hours.

Temari watched one particularly large cloud race across the sky, only ripping her eyes from the heavens when she tripped over something. With an 'ooph (and a valiant attempt to regain her balance),' Temari found her hips laying across something that was a tad bit warmer than the grass and her hands aching from an impact with the hard ground.

"Mendokusee," a bored-sounding voice commented and Temari found herself staring at a younger version of her boss. Temari, as she stared at the young man, realized that she was laying across the brunette's abdomen which, even through her jacket, she could tell was amazingly muscular. Feeling a slight blush coming on, Temari slid off of the young man, inwardly smiling when she felt his muscles contract underneath her body and saw a tinge of pink come to his cheeks.

"Gomen…Nara-san…I wasn't looking where I was going," Temari said, forcing herself to sound actually sorry, as she slowly stood up, dusting off her bare legs and jacket. She took a glimpse at the young man, sure that he was the owner's son (who the man would never shut up about) when she took in all his features. His ponytail was identical to his father's, as were his eyes and, pretty much, everything about him except his apparent age and the lack of scars on his face.

"…you shouldn't be walking on the grass," he stated calmly as he stood up as well, dusting off the few pieces of grass and dirt from his back and legs as he studied Temari. As the Nara stood up to his full height, Temari found herself staring into his chest, which, in itself wasn't exactly a bad view, but she hated being shorter than everyone else. Looking up so she could see the young man's face, she frowned at his comment.

"I wasn't the one laying in the grass, Nara-san," Temari pointed out, already starting to get annoyed by the man's attitude. He sighed and started to walk away, which got Temari to growl slightly. "Oi, I'm talking to you!"

"Women are so troublesome," he said under his breath as he turned around, but Temari caught his rude comment. She glared at him as she stalked up to him and decided that the sexist needed to be taught a lesson. With a quick movement, Temari heard the satisfying crack as her open palm connected with the young man's unmarred face. Obviously he hadn't been expecting to be smacked, since he hadn't even tried to move and, even after Temari lowered her hand, her eyes widening as she realized she had just hit the owner's son, he didn't move. For a moment, they stood there in stunned silence until the Nara lifted a hand to touch the pink mark on his cheek that resembled a handprint.

"…N-Nara-san…" Temari would have apologized to the young man if it hadn't been for the fact that, as soon as he had touched his stinging face, he had grabbed her wrist and pulled her arm towards him. Temari, momentarily caught off-balance, fell into him and successfully knocked both of them back onto the grass, but this time, Temari found herself straddling the young man's legs and, with all the gracefulness of a newborn deer, Temari flailed as she tried to get off of the Nara, but couldn't move because of his grip on her wrist. "Let go!"

"You're hurt," he said softly as he turned Temari's hand so the blonde could see that her hand was scratched. It had most likely happened when she had landed on them in her previous fall. With a sigh, the Nara sat up and Temari was looking into his a pair of black eyes that, instead of their earlier boredom, held a slight concern. Temari blushed slightly as she studied her hand that was covered in pink contusions along with slowly trickling blood and more than one stone was embedded in her flesh. The quiet man underneath her sighed as he took a hold of her other hand and turned it over to look at the similar marks across her opposite palm. He let go of Temari's hands and she quickly slid off of him. Again, the pair slowly got up and Temari found herself taking quick glances at the young man who, without that bored look on his face, wasn't half bad looking. "You should have that looked at…"

"…a-arigatou…for your concern, Nara-san…but I'll be fine…" Temari stuttered, amazed that the man who, only a minute ago was saying that women were troublesome, was showing concern for the scrapes on her hands.

"My name's Shikamaru, Temari-san," he stated as he started to walk away. Temari found herself smiling slightly at the man's comment concerning his name, then furrowed her eyebrows.

"How did you know my name, Na-…Shikamaru-san?" Temari asked as she turned to watch the young man's retreating back. He turned his head enough to look at Temari and she caught the small pink tinge on his cheeks.

"Mendokusee…" Shikamaru mumbled before he turned his head back to look forwards and continued walking away from the girl. Temari, with a smirk on her face, smirked and took off towards the back of the reservation in order to find Nara Shikaku and, if possible, learn something about his unusual son.

/ aw…Kawaii, ne? alright…since it seems we're going to do the whole family…here goes Kankuro's love story…\

Kankuro glanced around the empty family room of his house, his ears perked up so that he could catch any sound, but he couldn't hear a thing. Smirking, he realized this meant Temari had already left for work and Gaara was either not home or up in his room doing something. Knowing his little brother's nature, Kankuro was aware that nothing short of a scream from Temari or a gunshot would get the teen to come out before he wanted to.

Snickering softly to himself, the eldest sibling snuck into the kitchen and rested his gaze on the white phone. Kankuro tiptoed over to the phone and picked the curved object up, listening for a dial tone as he turned to watch the stairs leading up to the bedrooms. Sometimes Gaara was known to sneak down those stairs so quietly, no one even saw him until he was almost on them. Kankuro didn't want his brother to know anything about this, so he kept a close watch as he dialed a number so familiar, he didn't need to see the buttons on his phone.

His smirk turned into a smile as he heard someone pick up the phone. "Moshi, moshi," the woman's voice said pleasantly. Kankuro took a deep breath and tightened his grip on the phone as he wove a finger through the twisted cord.

"Ohayo, Haruno-san…is Sakura-chan still home?" Kankuro's voice nearly faltered as he heard a creak coming from upstairs. With a sigh of relief, Kankuro watched the furry creature known as Shukaku poke his head out of the upstairs corridor and cock his head when he saw Kankuro. The round badger was smart enough to know that, at this time of day, Kankuro was always at work.

"Yes, she's here…may I ask who this is?" the woman asked, the pleasant tone of her voice leaving with her question. Obviously the woman must have thought Kankuro to be one of Sakura's love interests. The pink-haired teen had told Kankuro more than once that her mother was insanely overprotective of her.

"Oh…this is Sabaku no Kankuro…" Kankuro replied as he studied the brown creature waddle down the stairs and start walking towards him. Kankuro glared at the beast, having never liked Gaara's odd choice in a pet, as the furry thing returned his hate-filled expression. With a cough, Kankuro added, "I'm um…a friend from w-school…" He would have said work-or the actual truth-if he hadn't heard of the woman's legendary abhorrence of 'boyfriends' and Sakura's place of work. The woman thought Sakura just worked in a club, but had never gone there (thankfully). Haruno-san probably would have had a heart attack if she saw all the things her daughter did in her job.

"…oh…Kankuro…Sakura's never mentioned you…" Kankuro could tell, from the quality of the woman's voice, that Sakura must have been in the room and her mother was glaring at her, silently asking Sakura for an answer in the way only mothers could. Kankuro had tried to master that particular look-for Temari and her rebellious nature-but he couldn't keep a straight face long enough to make her feel guilty enough in order to get her to confess. Kankuro gently kicked Shukaku, who had decided his foot was a perfect pillow, and raised an eyebrow as he listened to the harsh whispers coming from the phone. He couldn't make out any of what the woman was saying, but he could distinguish Sakura's voice as well-and the pink haired girl didn't sound too happy.

Kankuro kicked Shukaku again, this time more forcefully (completely unintentionally). The loud crack that had filtered through the phone had caused Kankuro to wince, which made the muscles in his leg tighten…and effectively punt the furry ball across his kitchen. With a squeak, Shukaku went flying into the kitchen wall opposite Kankuro and the teen was chuckling so loudly, he didn't notice that the fight on the other side of the line was over.

"Daijoubu ka, Kankuro?" Sakura sounded slightly worried-probably because she had never heard Kankuro laugh before. He watched the creature slide down the wall and land on the floor with a, in Kankuro's mind, satisfying _thump_.

"Daijoubu, Sakura-chan…" Kankuro replied as he smiled at the, now, growling badger. He had wanted to do that for years! He snickered again, his eyes following the limping creature before he remembered Sakura was on the phone. "…I…punted my brother's pet badger…little demon had it coming…"

"That's a terrible thing to say!" Sakura exclaimed as Kankuro (knowing women) held the phone an arms length away from himself until her screeching subsided. He sighed and pulled the phone back to his ear, but couldn't help but smile when he saw Shukaku wobbling back up the stairs. "Kankuro…what did your sister say?"

"…that you're going to have to come over…" Kankuro replied coolly as he watched Shukaku disappear back into the upstairs corridor. If the creature had the ability to, he probably would have either killed Kankuro in his sleep or flipped him off at every given moment. There as no love between them, but Kankuro promised Gaara he wouldn't harm his precious Shukaku. For some reason, that creature hung off of his little brother like they were part of the same body-but it hated Kankuro and Temari with a passion. Kankuro never doubted that it was a demon in a past life.

"…I told Gaara-san…he and Kyuubi believed me…" Sakura commented, chuckling evilly. She stopped when Kankuro heard her mother's voice yelling on the other side about a straight jacket and medication. "She's such a bitch…"

"That's a terrible thing to say!" Kankuro parroted her earlier words, which made Sakura grumble. "…so, what did you have planned for tonight?"

"…well, I have off tonight…so I was thinking we could go out…shop for a little while then get dinner. I know this really cool place over on the other side of town. The Akimichi family owns it…and I already told Ino to drag Choji with her so we could double-date…" Sakura stated. Underneath all his makeup, Kankuro blushed furiously. "And, before you try weaseling your way out of this, remember you were the one begging _me_…"

_And her only payment was I'd take her to her school dance…conniving female…_Kankuro thought to himself as he sighed. "Fine…what do I have to do?" Kankuro asked, his voice turning into a whisper when he heard Gaara's soft voice float downstairs.

"Did you fall down the steps again, Shukaku?" Apparently, his brother finally discovered the limping badger. Kankuro snickered to himself as he glanced over to the kitchen clock. He was already far past late for work-thankfully he had thought ahead and called his boss, telling the man that he'd be coming in a little late due to the fact his brother was in an accident. With all the 'accidents' Gaara's had, it was a wonder the old man didn't think Gaara was klutz or just plain unlucky.

"Meet me in the front of the mall at four…_with no makeup on_," Sakura stated, cackling evilly the same moment Kankuro brought a hand up to touch his masked face. "If you do wear makeup, I'll drag you into the girls' room to wash it off…and we'll go wardrobe shopping…"

Kankuro raised his eyebrow. He had been in the girls' bathroom before (it came from having a little sister and being pretty much orphaned by their father when they were just kids), so that was no problem. And wardrobe shopping? How bad could that be? Kankuro smirked, knowing he wouldn't give up wearing his makeup-not without at least making a valiant attempt to keep it on.

/Authoress: okay…okay…Kankuro and Sakura's relationship isn't what it seems (hence the 'begging' part and their deal…so…back to…Temari! This is just one Sabaku family story…)\

"Temari-chan, you can take a break now!" the owner called as Temari pulled her hand away from the furry nose of a deer that especially liked her. The young buck's antlers were already growing back in, so every time he rested his gigantic head on Temari's shoulder, she would have to untangle her hair from the points that, to other people, could be considered lethal weapons.

She patted the deer's nose again, smiling when those brown eyes closed and the massive animal pushed his head back into her hand. For such large, threatening looking creatures, these deer were completely harmless and, quite frankly, very cuddly. "I'll be back later, Rudolph," Temari said softly as she brushed her fingers against the bristly hair, then planted a soft kiss on the deer's nose. Rudolph huffed, as if he understood Temari's statement and didn't believe her. The deer had been named by Temari when he was first born; on Christmas Eve over two years ago. She had picked the name after she had seen that both her and the owner's noses had turned a bright red after hours of sitting in the freezing barn, waiting for Rudolph's mother to have him.

With another pat, Temari stepped away from the twelve foot fence and started walking towards the Nara's house, where she knew the owner's wife would have already made a wonderful lunch and set out a cold glass of water for Temari.

She smiled as she jumped up the steps, skipping every other wooden stair, then slipped into the house's quaint kitchen and found Shikaku mumbling to himself as he looked over a slip of paper. Temari, being the chronically curious type of person, leaned over the man's shoulder to read the letter, but only caught a few characters before the man folded the paper up and sighed. _Shikamaru…it said something about him…I wonder what it was. It looked important…maybe it was something from whatever college he goes to,_ Temari thought to herself as she sat down next to the man and waited for him to say something.

"His teachers are complaining about his grades again…" Shikaku stated as he glanced over at his wife. "And that he's always late to class…he leaves the house on time…how is he always an hour late to school?"

Temari smirked, knowing exactly why the odd man was always late to school. "I saw Nara-san this morning when I got here…he was laying out front…" _Heh…maybe this will get you in trouble…sexist, lazy pain in my ass…_Temari thought to herself with a smile on her face.

"…he started watching the clouds again…" Shikaku's wife stated with a sigh as she turned around to hit her husband on the head with a spoon. "You said you'd talk to Shikamaru about that…" Temari thought the man would have argued or even glared at his wife for hitting him-but this was Shikaku. He merely sighed and leaned back in his chair as he nodded his head. It had been obvious from the day Temari started working with the Nara couple that the small woman making them lunch was the one who ruled their household. She had whipped Shikaku into submission long before Temari knew the odd pair, but this was the first time she had seen them argue about their son while she was around. Temari only knew what Shikaku told her-that his son was a lazy genius and that he was around Temari's age-seventeen. After seeing the young man this morning, Temari guessed his age to be around nineteen, hence the 'college' thoughts.

"He's only a kid…what do you want me to say?" Shikaku asked as he picked up the letter again and opened it to skim through it a second time. "The only class he's on time for is his study hall…and his drama club…"

"Un…Gai tells me he's very punctual when it comes to the drama club…" the tiny woman stated as she started scooping rice out of the rice cooker and placed it in bowls that she brought over to the table. Temari didn't notice when she put the bowl of rice down in front of her. Her mind was still stuck on the comment about Gai.

"Y-You know Maito Gai?" Temari asked curiously, surprised to see the Nara chuckle. He nodded his head and waved around the letter. His wife snatched the piece of paper away from him and smacked his head.

"He's an old family friend…he coincidentally is the drama club's supervisor and one of the teacher's at Shikamaru's high school…" Shikaku stated as he rubbed the back of his head where his wife had hit him repeatedly this morning.

_High…school! He's only in high school! No way!_ Temari exclaimed inwardly, staring at Shikaku for a moment. The man smiled and a thoughtful expression crossed his scarred face before he looked to his wife. "Thinking about it…his son's graduating this year, isn't he?"

"Un…Lee-kun and a few other kids from the drama club…that one Hyuuga boy is graduating too, I think…" she replied as she sat down across from Temari once she sat a plate of vegetables down in front of her husband and Temari. Temari glanced at the plate, letting these small facts click in her head as she smiled evilly.

_Gaara's crush…is graduating with his best friend……and Shikamaru goes to school with Sasuke and Neji, that means…I could ask them to _accidentally_ introduce Gaara and this Lee guy…hehehe…_Temari cackled to herself as she watched Shikaku sigh. An odd thought then came to her mind. _Maybe I can find out more about Shikamaru…WTF! Why would I want to get to know that asshole!_ Temari didn't realize it until Shikaku was looking at her curiously, but she was blushing as she glared at her rice bowl as if it offended her.

"D-daijoubu ka, Temari-chan?" Shikaku asked, inwardly afraid for his life as he watched the young woman pout slightly. She glanced up from her lunch when she heard him say her name and blinked, raising her eyebrow.

"…hehe…daijoubu, Nara-san…I was…just…wondering…how old is your son?" Temari said curiously, against her screaming better judgment. Shikaku smiled, as if he knew what had been going through her mind mere moments before and chuckled.

"He'll be turning seventeen in a few months…" he replied cheerfully. His wife took one look at him and smacked him upon principle. The small smile that had come to Temari's face hadn't escaped her perceptive eyes, either.

"Temari-chan…if you're not doing anything tonight…perhaps you would like to come over for dinner…" she suggested, giving her husband a glare that clearly threatened him to say a word. Temari's eyes widened slightly at the invitation and wondered if the Nara couple could see that she was attempting not to smile and bounce enthusiastically-it would have gone against everything Temari was. Seeing that Temari wasn't against the idea, Shikaku's wife smiled. "Good, once your finished putting the deer in, you can come inside and clean up for dinner."

/Authoress:…alright, alright…I'm going back to our Kanky now…this part will be **so confusing **(that's called a warning for those who get mind-fucks easily…)\

"EEEEE!" Kankuro covered his ears as he watched Sakura bounce up and down, then the ball of pink went flying to attach herself to a small Hyuuga that Kankuro was very familiar with. "Hinata-chan!" Kankuro saw the faint blush on Hinata's cheeks as she was, literally, tackled by Sakura, then the two took a few steps away from Kankuro and started talking in whispers.

"…Oi…I'm not going to stand here all day…" Kankuro stated calmly, but froze when he saw the third member of (what he liked to now call) 'hellish shit' come bounding over. The pink ponytail was a dead giveaway that Kankuro's life, as he knew it, was officially over.

"Ino-pig, you're late!" Sakura screeched as she pulled something out of Ino's hands, giving her best friend a forgiving look as she looked at the large stack of books. "Aha! I found it!" With that, the three girls stood in a circle and started commenting on _something_ they found in one of the thin books. Kankuro sighed and watched as other people walked around the three girls-many of the males who were being dragged by girls gave Kankuro a look of pity as well as understanding. He crossed his eyes as he sighed again, praying that whatever god did exist had finally got its amusement and would spare his life.

"…I'm going home…" Kankuro made the mistake of saying-only realizing what he uttered was a major transgression to the females now staring at him. Ino pouted for a moment, letting her eyes well up with tears before she wrapped herself around Kankuro's arm. He was still wondering how she moved so quickly while the girl nuzzled herself into his bicep.

"Oi, pig, he's my boyfriend!" Sakura commented coldly as she took hold of Kankuro's other arm (which gave Kankuro a new physics-defying move to ponder over) and Hinata walked up to the three and mumbled a hello to Kankuro.

"Hinata-chan…do you know what they're going to do to me?" Hinata shook her head, but Kankuro caught a glimpse of a smile on the shy girl's face. _Neji turned her evil!_ Kankuro surmised as he felt Ino and Sakura start dragging him into the mall while they bickered with each other over how to make Kankuro pay for wearing his makeup. Kankuro tuned out of their conversation, his eyes skimming the shops they were walking past, and didn't pay much attention to where they were going until he saw something that made his heart stop.

"Ino-chan, Sakura-chan, Hinata-chan! You're just in time for your app-…oh, my…who is this?" Kankuro raised his eyebrow as he watched a thin woman emerge from behind a curtain. She had her dark hair pulled back in two matching buns, but was otherwise plain. Kankuro watched the new female smile for a moment, waiting for someone to answer her question.

"…you remember that extra appointment we requested?" Sakura hinted, bumping her elbow into Kankuro's side. _Appointment?_ he wondered as he looked around the immensely bright…and sickeningly pink shop. One thing in particular caught his eyes and Kankuro stared at the chair with round eyes.

"This is the one you were telling me about in school?" the woman asked, looking at Kankuro as if she was undressing him with her eyes. He shivered, waiting for the perfect moment to bolt out of the feminine shop that he now recognized as a beauty parlor. "…so…" Kankuro's eyes landed on the woman who had a hopeful look in her eyes. "…you're a friend of Neji's…"

Unsure of how he should answer the question, Kankuro gulped and nodded his head. Apparently that was the right answer as the girl 'eeped' and Kankuro found himself with a new growth around his middle. _Heh…if only Gaara could see me now…three pretty girls hanging on me…_Kankuro thought to himself, wondering if he should attempt to free himself from all the attention.

"He knew Neji-sempai _and_ Sasuke-kun when they were little!" Ino added in a high, girly (A/N: gomen, girls…that's not stereotyping…I just don't know what other words to use besides 'let me rip out my own eardrums with a rusty spoon' to describe it…) squeal. Kankuro twitched slightly as that sound echoed in his head for a few moments. He didn't know how he did it, but he had somehow gotten sucked into the lair of the bishounen fan club…and Hinata was there…If this was what hell would be like, Kankuro decided he would become a devout Christian as soon as the three females let go.

"…so…" the girl with the buns let go of Kankuro's midsection and went to look at a book that was sitting on the counter-that also happened to be a flamenco pink. Kankuro cursed his own bad luck when her eyes lit up and she picked up the book, mumbling to herself. "I have all of you down for manicures and pedicures…and a hair appointment…hmm…who wanted their hair cut?" She looked up at the book long enough to see the three girls pointing sneakily at the oblivious man in Kabuki makeup. "Alright…that might take a while…and we're taking the makeup off, right?"

Before Kankuro even got a chance to defend himself, Hinata covered his mouth and nodded her head. Kankuro began getting nervous when Ino let go of his arm to go huddle with the smirking woman and point out something in one of her books. Whatever these girls were going to do to him, it wasn't going to end well.

/and…in an hour's time…we have…/timer goes off/ you have to read to find out…\

"Sakura-chan…are you sure it was okay to trick Kankuro-kun into coming to have TenTen-san do his hair?" Hinata asked shyly as she watched one of the other employees paint her nails the same color as her eyes. Sakura chuckled evilly as she admired the French manicure on her own hands and nodded her head.

"Of course it is, Hinata…remember…Kankuro asked us to help him…and that makeup and hat just scare people. Anyways…TenTen told me that Neji had said something about Kankuro not wearing his makeup once…and that there were instant fan girls. We're doing him a favor!" Sakura theorized, turning to look at the Hyuuga heiress who had begun smiling as she giggled. "Nani?"

"…I've seen Kankuro-kun without his makeup…" Hinata said softly. It was true that she had seen Kankuro without so much as eyeliner on. The first time had been years ago, when Gaara had first become friends with Neji and Sasuke. At one of their sleepovers, Gaara had such a nightmare that Kankuro had to come pick him up at about one in the morning. Hinata had hid on the stairway along with Sasuke to watch a yawning brunette pick up Gaara in his arms and leave the Hyuuga mansion after thanking Hiashi and Neji for inviting Gaara over. It hadn't clicked until the next morning for the two ten year olds, when Neji had said how bad he felt; having to make Kankuro come all the way over to pick up Gaara. It still amazed Hinata at what a transformation it was. The teenager that had carried Gaara out of the house looked nothing like the 'scary man' Hinata and Sasuke knew to be Gaara's big brother. Even though, when they were that young, Hinata knew Kankuro wore that makeup for a reason. Nowadays, she knew that reason was the scars that covered his face. Back then, Kankuro was in a gang and he used the makeup to make himself more fearsome. Now, he used it to hide what kinds of things he used to be into.

It happened other times, too-seeing Kankuro without his beloved makeup. Most often, it was when Hinata found herself seeing Kankuro at odd hours in the morning. She now knew the young man to be a terrible morning person who was insanely devoted to Gaara and Temari. He was willing to hide his face so people wouldn't look at him strangely, and thereby also see his younger siblings as unusual. It wasn't pride or anything else so narcissistic-Kankuro didn't care what people thought of him.

"…is he cute?" Ino asked, pulling Hinata out of her musings. Hinata smiled and bit her lip. She always saw Neji and Sasuke as 'handsome,' Gaara was considered 'adorable.' Kankuro…words really couldn't describe his features, but 'cute' certainly wasn't close. Perhaps 'mysterious' would be better.

"…not really cute…" Hinata replied truthfully, looking up when she heard a gasp come from the back room where TenTen had dragged Kankuro nearly an hour ago. Screams had been what they heard earlier, along with Kankuro cursing, but this gasp was the first of its kind. Ino looked like she was about to go investigate, despite her wet nails, but all three girls froze in their seats when TenTen emerged, her eyes wide and (A/N: imagine animes here…) hearts in her eyes.

"TenTen…are you alright?" Sakura asked softly as the older teen sat down and buried her head into her hands, eeping. The pink-haired girl, worried about her friend, slowly got out of her seat and went over to TenTen and patted the girl on the head. TenTen lifted her head and Sakura could see a blush on her face.

TenTen looked at Hinata and smiled. "Does he have a brother?" Sakura and Ino sweat dropped as Hinata chuckled. She looked to Sakura and Ino, who were hysterically laughing as well. "Nani? Does he have a brother?"

"Hai…you've met him at Masquerade," Sakura stated as she went to sit back down in her chair. "Does the name 'Gaara' ring any bells?" TenTen's eyes widened as an image of a surly redhead came to mind and she nodded. _They do bear a resemblance…_TenTen thought to herself as she smiled. Gaara wasn't as old as Kankuro, but he was still pretty damn hot.

"I'm going to have to talk to this Gaara…" TenTen said seductively as she smirked. No man had yet to turn away from her charms. That fact made TenTen giggle evilly as she covered her mouth with a hand.

"Oi, don't get your hopes up…my brother's gay!" Kankuro's voice stated from the other room where he could hear the girls-and pretty much see their evil, conniving expressions. He looked into the mirror TenTen had left him with and shivered. He wasn't going to come out of this room until everyone was gone and it was pitch black outside. Not only had TenTen searched him for his makeup (a major violation of personal space!), but she had also taken away his black beanie. _I loved that hat…_Kankuro thought to himself as he touched his exposed hair. It reminded him of a helmet and, considering all the gel TenTen had put in it, Kankuro was sure he could use it for just that.

"…why are all the good ones gay?" TenTen asked sorrowfully as she sniffled and then flashed a devious smile at Sakura and Ino. Hinata started feeling worried. That smile could mean many things. "Oi, Kankuro-kun…come on out and show the girls what we did!"

"I'm not coming out!" Kankuro retorted, leaning back in his chair and tightened his grip on the armrests. Even under penalty of death, he wouldn't let them see him so…naked. "Give me back my makeup and hat, woman!"

"Come on, Kankuro-kun…" Hinata cheered softly, loud enough to get Kankuro to smirk. The girl wasn't exactly his choice for a cheering squad-but he had heard from Gaara that she could yell when she felt like it.

"Yeah, we're all girls here!" Sakura added optimistically as she looked to TenTen. She knew TenTen wouldn't have done anything to make Kankuro look _worse_, which meant the young man was just embarrassed to show himself off. _He's so modest…_she thought to herself as she inwardly smiled.

"So!" _What does all of them being girls have to do with it! Hinata will still tell Neji, who will definitely tell Gaara and Sasuke…they'll tell Temari…and I'll never have a moment of peace again…even that little bastard, Shukaku, will be laughing at me!_ Kankuro hypothesized as he brought a hand up to touch his unusually smooth face.

"I'll tell Gaara-san about our deal if you don't come out, Kankuro!" Sakura's threat made Kankuro twitch as he slowly got up. Listening to his brother make fun of him for _that_ would be worse than anything he heard from Neji.

"I'm coming…" Kankuro growled as he stepped out of the room and took a deep breath before he faced the females, whose numbers seemed to have multiplied since he was last in this room. Kankuro tried to block out the gasps and other sounds coming from his audience as he spotted a seat next to Hinata and quickly sat down and covered his face with his hands.

"…why'd _you_ get to be his girlfriend!" Ino exclaimed jealously, as soon as she was able to speak again, as she pointed a finger at Sakura, who was still dumbfounded. Sakura, finally snapping out of her shocked state, looked at Kankuro, who looked like he was trying to curl into a ball, then drown himself in a nearby sink.

"…" Sakura studied the brown hair and what small pieces of Kankuro's face she could see, then threw a fist into the air. "Yosh! Mission 'Make Kankuro Hot' is complete!"

"Spaz…" Ino rolled her eyes as Hinata tried to get Kankuro to stop his hiding, but only succeeded in getting a 'betrayer' glare from Kankuro before he buried his face even deeper into his large hands. "…oi…what time were we supposed to go pick up Choji?"

Sakura looked up at the large clock towards the front of the beauty parlor and her eyes widened. They told Choji they'd meet him in front of his family's restaurant at five, after they were finished with their mall browsing. Of course, the teen knew this meant five thirty would be the time they'd arrive if they were watching the time. Alas, it had already passed six and the poor boy wasn't used to waiting so long for a meal. Ino, knowing Choji as well as she did, realized that the young man had to have come to the mall to find them.

Kankuro's eye twitched at Ino's question. How could they expect him to go _anywhere _looking like this? He slowly stood up and, making sure not to make too much of a scene, stomped out of the tiny hellhole, flipping off Sakura when she cried, "Where are you going!"

/A/N: aw, now that wasn't nice, Kanky…well, back to his wonderful day in hell as we know it…(you haven't got to the mind-fuck yet, don't worry…those were just small hints of what's to come…\

(Choji's POV…ooo…a new POV! We should celebrate…maybe later…)

_Maa…where could Ino-chan and Sakura-chan have gone?_ I thought to myself as I began munching on the bag of soy chips my mother had given me when I said I'd go get the girls. Her and her damn diets. It wasn't fair! I was big-boned, not overweight! _All the more to love!_ I added inwardly as I chuckled, popping another of the chips in my mouth. The barbeque ones weren't actually too bad, except for the fact they were pieces of soy. _Why don't they just feed me miso through an IV!_ I grumbled to myself. I always got grouchy when I was hungry-especially after my mother commented on my eating habits. She was no stick, either, and neither was my father, so my size was hereditary!

I continued telling myself that I didn't have an eating problem until I hit into something very warm and very hard. I found myself staring at a tan chin with a wide pale mark in the center, with my body flush against the chin's owner. I raised my eyes as I took a step back and found myself looking into a pair of black eyes. I took in the man's facial features (I knew him to be male since I had, pretty much, felt up his chest a mere second ago), finding that he looked somewhat familiar. That wasn't possible, though. I remembered everyone I met, especially someone as exotic looking as him.

He had thin eyes with black pupils that, if they weren't opened wide in amazement, they probably could have been considered evil-looking. He also had lightly tanned skin along with scars-many scars. They were shockingly white against his tan skin, which only made him stand out even more. The marks were mostly symmetrical, one on either temple that ran diagonally down to his cheekbones, ones along his jaw line that made an almost triangular shape, and there were ones running down his glabella (A/N: that space between your eyebrows (if you have a space, that is…/smiles innocently/)) and to the middle of his pointed nose. He had full lips that were darker than I was used to seeing on men (A/N: have _you_ tried getting some of that crap (lipstick) off…it is like superglue/cries/) and thin eyebrows that were nearly covered by the short bangs that had fallen out of his loose ponytail. His hair was a darker brown than mine, but held highlights of gold and a deep red that seemed natural (A/N: (okay, this is the last of my comments, here…/takes a deep breath/ don'cha love having your hair highlighted…well, actually dyed in my case…but…well…I'm going to shut up now…). Put all that together, along with the supple body I felt under his baggy black clothes, and I found myself staring at, by far, one of the most handsome men I had ever seen.

Upon realizing my attraction to the man, I looked down before he noticed the blush covering my spiraled cheeks. "Gomen…I didn't see you, sir…" I apologized, hoping I sounded more polite and less awed to _him_ than I did to myself. I glanced up long enough to see the man's scarred cheeks turn a subtle pink.

"…Iie…I wasn't looking where I was going…" he replied softly. Even his voice was sexy! I tried to ignore that particular thought as I smiled at the man. He didn't even look at me strangely (like everyone else seemed to). If only he was at least around my age, he'd be perfect! I thought about the way he looked at me without disgust or pity and knew that he must have known how people would look at the scars covering his face. He had a great deal of courage to walk around so proudly.

"Choji!" I saw the man winced as Ino's voice hit our ears. I also twitched slightly-sometimes I wished I could be more like Shikamaru and flip her off, telling her she was too troublesome. But, if I did that today, I wouldn't have hit into the handsome man in front of me.

"Kankuro, you get your ass back here!" I raised an eyebrow as the man flinched again as I heard Sakura's outburst. Tonight would be interesting, considering both females were in the yelling mood. _I thought Sakura was bringing along some guy for dinner…_ I thought to myself, but froze as I watched the pink-haired girl bound up to us and attack the man in front of me. _…it's a small world…_I decided as I watched this 'Kankuro' struggle to push Sakura away.

"Konnichi wa, Choji-kun." I turned to only be surprised to see Hinata smiling at me. _Were they having some kind of crazy girl convention?_ I wondered as I smiled politely at the Hyuuga. She wasn't half as bad as Ino and Sakura…but Hinata had her moments where I was sure Neji would go jump off the school's roof if it would get her to stop her emotional mood swings for a moment. Today had, probably, been the worst of them, considering Hinata had gone as far as to _smack_ Neji as he tried to calm her down.

"Hinata-chan…are you coming to dinner too?" I asked before I started munching on my soy chips again. This man had been the first person to ever make me stop eating while I still had food in my hands. _But didn't Sakura say she was brining her boyfriend?_ If that was the case, I knew it was just ill luck that we had hit into each other in the first place.

"Iie…I-I didn't want to go home yet…" Hinata said softly, her eyes starting to water. _Aha! So she at least feels sorry for hitting Neji-sempai!_ I always knew the girl was one of the kindest people I had ever met. I was never wrong with my first impressions. "But…my parents will be getting worried soon…"

"I'll take you home, Hinata," the man stated as he (finally) was able to rip Sakura off his waist and push her a few feet away. Sakura whimpered, as did Ino, so I guessed he must have been the 'boyfriend.' It was always Sakura's taste to date the hot guys who other guys liked-but I had always thought she'd only settle for Sasuke (at least, for this school year). _Come to think of it…this guy doesn't go to our school…he's too old to even _be_ in high school…_I thought with a frown. _Statutory rape obviously means nothing to him…_I wasn't one to talk, though. Most of my friends worked at a club where anything goes and age meant nothing. _If my parents were such pains, I'd probably be working there too…_I thought to myself as I watched the man gently pull Hinata by the elbow towards the entrance. His grip on her showed that he was well-acquainted with her, but not in any sexual way. I got more of a brotherly vibe off of him.

"Aw, Sakura…what about the pla-" I turned my head back just in time to see Sakura clamp a hand over Ino's mouth and glare at her best friend with promise of death in her eyes. _Pla?…they're doing something sneaky…_I decided as I, also, started to walk out of the mall.

"Choji! Mate!" Ino cried as the two girls bounded towards me, large bags flapping at their sides. I saw one being from an 'Intimates' store and I instantly didn't want to know what their new plan was. _Probably seduce that Kankuro guy to stay in one place more than a minute…_I chuckled to myself and glared at Ino as she wrapped her arm around my elbow.

"You're being clingy today…" I commented as I desperately tried to wriggle my arm out of her grasp, but couldn't. Ino giggled, but only tightened her death-grip on me. Sighing in defeat, I started taking out my frustration on my bag of chips.

_What are those two doing with that guy, I wonder…_ I asked myself as Sakura grabbed my other elbow. People around us probably thought I was either very lucky or very suave in order to escort two pretty girls around. With a snort, I couldn't help but inwardly comment on that. _Yep…the gay guy's getting some action from bi girlfriends…_

Life would have been so much easier if I had never met Ino and Shikamaru. _Mendokusee…_I added with a smile on my face.

/…should I continue…hmmmm….nah…I'll let everyone stew over that for a while…j-joto mate!…we didn't talk about Temari enough…/smiles sheepishly/ gomen…I'll go back to writing now…\

(back to third person POV and we're at the Nara household…/drum roll/ at dinnertime!)

Shikamaru looked up at the clouds with a sigh. For some reason, they weren't soothing him as much as they used to. At one time, all he had to do was look up and he'd be calm enough to fall asleep just about anywhere at anytime of the day. These days, though, he had begun developing a problem with sleeping. He would get up every few nights shivering from dreams that, when he told his father about them, the old man got a bloody nose. That, in itself, made the Nara teen reconsider asking Choji for his advise. The Akimichi would get no end of pleasure if he knew Shikamaru was turning into a sleep-pervert (A/N:…I know I said I wouldn't make any more comments…but…/smiles/ a sleep-pervert…kinda like a sleep-walker, ne? They can't help it!).

The only other people, that were around his age, that Shikamaru was actually close to were the members of the drama club and, quite frankly, those people were even more perverted than him at times. He had tried, once, to talk to his homeroom teacher, Asuma-sensei, about it, but only got as far as halfway to the man's desk before loosing his nerve and went flying (or, in other words, moving as fast as the Nara had ever gone) back to his chair. Thankfully, Asuma didn't notice anything or else the man would have probably asked if Shikamaru wanted something.

_Want something…besides an intervention?_ Shikamaru wondered to himself and sighed. He leaned his head back far enough that he could see the top story of his family's house and, if he wasn't on the ground already, he probably would have fallen over. Unable to rip his eyes away from the (upside-down) image, Shikamaru coughed and stared in wonder.

He had heard his mother when she told him they'd be having a guest for dinner, but he didn't know it'd be _her_. With an expression far from his usual bored one, Shikamaru watched their family's _guest_ slowly get dressed, as if she knew Shikamaru couldn't help but watch, so she put on a show for him. He was close enough to the house to see that her (bare) upper body was glistening with moisture. Raising an eyebrow at the discovery she took a shower in their house (probably in Shikamaru's personal bathroom since it was the only one on that floor), Shikamaru sighed. He knew that his gentlemanly behaviors would get the better of him one day. And today, that had already happened once…it just wasn't his day.

"Oi, pull down the shades!" Shikamaru called, smirking to himself when he saw the blonde woman turn around to look out the window and waved when he was sure she was looking in his direction. She probably couldn't see his whole body because it was already dark out, but she caught sight of his moving hand and Shikamaru could see the glare she gave his general area. "Try a meter to your left…" Her gaze shifted according to his 'helpful' suggestion and he smiled. She was so miffed, she had yet to realize she was giving him a full frontal view.

"Hentai!" she screamed when awareness dawned on her and she crossed her arms over her chest. Shikamaru was about to tell her it wasn't helping, but his mind went blank when he saw the half-naked woman blush before removing her arms completely from her massive chest. She leaned out the open window and smirked, knowing exactly whose voice she had heard and, even though she couldn't see the perverted Nara genius, she knew he was still watching her. If it hadn't been for the fact Temari wasn't exactly a shy person, she was sure she'd be trying her hardest to cover up her body. The only reason she had screamed before was that she didn't know anyone was watching her. _But…since it's him…_Temari thought to herself while smiling evilly. "Oi, Shikamaru-san…once your finished jerking off, would you mind coming inside. I'm kinda hungry…"

Temari knew that both the teen's parents had to have heard her outburst and, her suspicion was confirmed when a shrill "SHIKAMARU!" erupted from somewhere downstairs. The Nara stared at Temari in amazement. The girl didn't look like she had that loud of a voice. Then again, she _had_ been audacious enough to smack him that morning for a well known fact.

"Mendokusee…" he said with a sigh as he pulled his eyes away from the smirking blonde and her well-developed body that was leaning out the window seductively. He slowly sat up and glared out into the darkness. His mother wasn't going to let him hear the end of this one.

/we'll skip the dinner…it's just an awkward silence anyways…how can you make a comeback after _that?_\

"Shikamaru…" said teen looked up to find his mother jingling his car keys in front of his face. For a moment, Shikamaru watched the plastic cloud key chain swing back and forth before he sighed and pulled them away from her. Dinner had been troublesome. Smalltalk had been even more troublesome. Cleaning up after dinner was troublesome. Shikamaru decided, as he felt the familiar weight of his keys in his hand, that today was just a troublesome day. He should have just stayed in bed that morning.

He slowly got up from the middle of his bedroom floor-where he had camped out as soon as his mother's supervision of him had faltered and he took that chance to slip out of the kitchen and back to his room, where he turned up his Mozart CD so that he wouldn't have to hear the woman scream when she realized he left her and Temari alone to do…whatever it was that people did after dinner. His father had left before they even had dinner, saying he was going to hang out with some old friends. In other words, the old man was going to go get himself drunk while talking to Ino and Choji's fathers about the 'good old days' (before they had demons for wives).

Somehow, his mother had gotten into his room and started making him feel guilty by saying how 'poor Temari-chan is going to have to walk home in the dark with all those perverts out…' then began shaking Shikamaru's car keys in his face. When it came to his mother, Shikamaru was just as helpless as his father. He shrugged and walked past his beaming mother, who gave him a peck on the cheek before pushing him out of his own room.

As Shikamaru lazily walked down the stairs, he looked up at the ceiling and wondered how he had gotten himself to agree to drive the (new) bane of his existence home. Said bane was sitting on a couch with her back to Shikamaru. The teen sighed a 'mendokusee' as he walked into the family room and noticed that Temari's body was hunched over and, if he didn't know any better, he'd guess she was plotting his demise. Having already done so, Temari should have been bounding around for joy-in Shikamaru's opinion.

"I'll drive you home…" Shikamaru said as he walked closer to the girl and was amazed to see her eyes were closed and she was breathing slowly. _Asleep? It's only eight o'clock…_Shikamaru thought to himself as he watched the girl doze peacefully with a hint of a smile on her face. Sighing, Shikamaru placed a hand on Temari's shoulder and, in an instant, found himself staring up at the ceiling with a large amount of pressure on his chest.

"…Oh…it's you…" Temari said with a chuckle as she lifted her foot off of the pinned teen's chest and grabbed his arm to help him up. She wasn't used to be woken up by anyone except Kankuro, who knew by now to throw something at her if he wanted to save himself from serious damage. The Nara rubbed his aching head and back as he stared at the girl who had just flipped him without so much as a warning.

"Mendokusee…"

"Do you say anything else?" Temari asked as she stepped away from Shikamaru and noticed that he was holding car keys. She smiled faintly when she remembered that his voice had been what had woken her up. "…arigatou…for driving me home…"

Shikamaru pressed his hand against his, now, aching back and shoulder. It felt like Temari had ripped his entire arm out of its socket, but he knew nothing was dislocated and he should feel lucky that the girl hadn't done anymore injury to him.

Taking a deep breath, Shikamaru studied Temari. He had, literally, seen what kind of muscles Temari hid under her clothes, and he hadn't even thought she would be able to best him. She didn't look much like a fighter, but he learned over dinner that she had two brothers, her being the middle child-which might explain her quick reflexes. Unintentionally, Shikamaru found himself studying her figure closer up and was able to see that the clothing his mother had leant to Temari wasn't showing off any of her better features. He much preferred her miniskirt and tight top over a fishnet shirt. She had beautiful legs and an hourglass figure that people like Ino would die to have. She also had beautiful, shapely breasts.

"…If you keep undressing me with your eyes, I'm going to smack you again," Temari stated as she raised an eyebrow. She smiled slightly when she saw Shikamaru quickly look away, a blush on his cheeks. _Heheh…all men are perverts_, she decided as she started walking towards the front door. "Come on, Nara! I'm going to fall asleep again if you don't take me home!"

Shikamaru quickly followed the girl, keeping his eyes to the floor as he walked to his car and got in. He started up his car and, being the piece of crap it was (but it was _his_ piece of crap), it needed a silent plead and a few turns of the key before the engine kicked in and the tiny vehicle roared to life. He started backing out of his parents' dirt driveway when he realized he didn't know where Temari lived.

"I'll give you directions," Temari said when she saw Shikamaru raise an eyebrow. He let the faintest hints of a smile cross his face as he continued backing up and pulled the car out into the dark streets. Within minutes, Shikamaru found himself driving under streetlights and Temari was looking out the window, watching for what road Shikamaru would have to take. She had never driven to the Nara's house before, due to her lack of license as well as car. "I think you take this road coming up on your right," Temari commented as she glanced over at the Nara.

"You think?" Shikamaru repeated curiously. _How could someone who's been working with my father for two years not know how to get back home_? He wondered to himself as he slowed down the car and made the turn down a road he had never been on before.

"I've always walked to work…and back home, unless one of my brothers picks me up," Temari replied, knowing what Shikamaru had wanted to ask. He raised an eyebrow as he looked down at his car's pedometer. _We've already gone nearly four miles…she walks to and from work?…she must have amazing legs…_the perverted side of the Nara's mind added as he glanced at her clothed legs. Only his mother would have such baggy pants that, somehow, still fit around the blonde's thin waist. "…pervert…" Temari added when she saw Shikamaru look at her legs. "I jog most of the way, if you must know. And it's about ten miles, either way…"

Shikamaru raised an eyebrow at that. He could run if he had to, which wasn't very often, but he knew he could never run twenty miles a day-ten miles, perhaps, if his mother forced him to do it, but he would most definitely have to stop every few miles to take a break. "So, Shikamaru-kun…what exactly _did_ you see before?" Temari asked, remembering that he had been watching her get dressed.

"N-nothing…" Shikamaru retorted, turning his face so Temari wouldn't see the apparent blush that had come to his cheeks due to her question. Temari clicked her tongue against her teeth disapprovingly as she watched Shikamaru take a sidelong glance at her.

"Left here," Temari stated and felt the slow down again to turn. Unlike her brothers, Shikamaru didn't _speed up_ when he made a turn, which, in Gaara and Kankuro's cases resulted in squealing tires and an argument about their terrible driving. "Well, you obviously saw my chest…anything else?" Temari asked curiously, smirking when she saw the noticeable red across Shikamaru's cheeks. _Kawaii…at least the pervert's a little embarrassed for peeping…_Temari thought to herself with a chuckle. Her own brothers had seen her naked more than once-it happens in such a crowded house-and both had ignored it, letting their eyes twitch in silence as they turned around and left the room.

"…nothing…" Shikamaru replied quietly, wishing the dry feeling in his mouth would leave. This was worse than his mother's interrogations-and those were legendary! While Shikamaru coughed nervously in attempts to relieve the scratchy feeling in his mouth, Temari sat back in her seat and smiled evilly. She knew from his parents how emotionless Shikamaru could be-always saying emotions were too troublesome-and that it took a lot to get a reaction out of the lazy teen. That meant there was something he was really getting worked up over.

"So, this morning…how did you know my name?" Temari said as she turned her head to watch Shikamaru start biting his inner cheek. _Aha…so, I've got myself a high school stalker then?_ Temari thought to herself with an inward, evil, snicker. "So, _Shikamaru-kun_, dreamt about me lately?" That certainly got a reaction out of the Nara. He sputtered, blushed, and the car came to a screeching halt all at once. "Bingo…" Temari whispered to herself with a chuckle.

_…she's even scarier than my mother…_Shikamaru decided as he turned to look at Temari. She was giggling to herself, oblivious of the fact Shikamaru was about to die from shame-actually, she was probably loving that Shikamaru was in such a predicament. She was an evil bitch like that (according to Shikamaru).

"Well, here's my house…thanks for the ride and…entertainment, Nara," Temari stated as she slowly got out of the car and started walking towards the, surprisingly, lit house. Usually no one was home at this time of night, since both her brothers were more of the nightlife crowd and, even if they were home at this hour, they wouldn't have bothered with the lights. _Which means…we have visitors…_Temari guessed as she walked up to the door and was about to open it when she realized she left all her things in Shikamaru's car.

The Nara stared at his steering wheel for a moment, trying to get his warm face under controlHe turned and saw a bag of clothing sitting in the passenger seat. He sighed and slid out of the car, taking the bag with him. He met Temari about halfway to her doorstep and silently handed her the bag, keeping his eyes to the ground. With a sigh, Shikamaru turned around to leave, but froze when he felt something warm brush against his cheek.

Temari pulled away from Shikamaru, unable to stop herself from smiling when she saw amazement on his face. She had acted on instinct when she kissed him on the cheek, but found herself drawn back to him-this time her kiss was redirected to his slightly opened mouth. Temari nearly drew back when she felt a tingle race through her body as she graced her lips against Shikamaru's. Instead of pulling away, Temari put more pressure into the kiss, closing whatever space was between her and the Nara by wrapping her arms around his neck and pulled herself flush against his body.

Without even thinking about it, Shikamaru wrapped one arm around Temari's thin waist as he cupped her jaw with his other. Shikamaru knew, theoretically, what a kiss was, but no textbook (or romance novel) could prepare him for the surge of warmth-of pleasure-that coursed through every fiber of his being. This tingling was nothing like any other sensation the teen had felt before. It was so powerful, it knocked the breath out of him as he felt Temari slowly move her lips against his. She did it so tantalizingly slow, Shikamaru could feel every movement she made. From the way the muscles in her neck shifted to the increasing speed of the hammering in her chest, even the way she played with a few stray hairs at the nape of his neck.

Temari wrapped her arms even tighter around Shikamaru's neck as she pulled herself up to his height, smiling into their kiss when she felt his arm easily lift her up so that she was no longer touching the ground. Temari had kissed many different men, but none had ever made her feel like this-especially not from such an innocent kiss. Temari pulled her head away from Shikamaru, for the first time in her life, not letting her hormones get the better of her and, as a result, take a relationship too fast.

Shikamaru, feeling only cold where Temari's lips just were, looked into the young woman's eyes and could tell that she was just as speechless as he was. He couldn't help but smirk and, when Temari saw his perverted smile, she slapped the back of his head as she smiled at him. As Shikamaru put her back down on the ground, Temari nuzzled her head into his warm neck, making sure to trace her lips along Shikamaru's collar bone, where her instincts told her he was sensitive. Her instincts were right, from the soft gasp she got as payment for her gentle caress.

Shikamaru never knew someone could make him shiver with such a simple action and, if he hadn't been wondering if this was why he always saw people making out every second they got, he probably would have tried to retaliate or blush. Temari snickered as she stepped back from Shikamaru and brushed her lips against his nose, which was silently begging to be kissed as he stared at her with a raised eyebrow.

"Oyasumi, Nara…" Temari whispered softly, inwardly saddened when she felt his arm slide off her waist. She leaned into Shikamaru's other hand as he brushed his thumb against her cheek and couldn't stop herself from smiling. He was probably one of the most gentle men she'd ever met.

"…My name's Shikamaru," he retorted softly as he let his hand drop to Temari's slim neck and started tracing the tendons and veins there. Temari sighed softly as Shikamaru hit a particularly responsive area. Temari nodded her head at his comment, remembering he had said the same exact thing that morning-but it didn't have the same effect on her then.

"Alright, oyasumi…Shikamaru-kun," Temari replied before reluctantly pulling away from his warm touch. She turned around to leave and walked back to her house with a bounce in her step that she had never known before.

"Good night, Temari-chan." Shikamaru, if it wasn't so against his character, he would have considered himself giddy-and probably dance. He watched Temari until she was safe in her house and she closed the door behind herself after waving at him. With a smile hidden by the darkness of night, Shikamaru went home sure that his dreams would be much different tonight.

/Authoress: okay, one more little segment, I swear!\

Kankuro glared at his mirror one more time, only to see the same things as before. He had no makeup…he had his hair gelled, dyed, and cut…and he had one terrible day. Not only had a bunch of girls connived him into going into a beauty parlor (where his problems only began), but he had run into the one person he was dreading to see in this state, and, once he had finally gotten home, he found Neji and Gaara drunk enough that the pair giggled at his hair as they tried to get up from the couch, only to fall onto the coffee table, thus breaking the marble piece of furniture.

After slapping his brother into something resembling somber, Gaara told him that Shukaku was at the vet's office after the teen found his beloved pet had broken ribs and Neji was there, singing with his bottle of vodka, because he and Hinata had gotten into a big fight in school over, what Neji said was, absolutely nothing. The pair passed out before Kankuro could get more answers out of them, but half an hour ago, Sasuke had shown up with his own bottle in hand.

He looked up, hearing a screech of tires, then voices. Obviously the two drunk idiots, who had been joined by the third musketeer of their band, woke up and had begun talking rather loudly. All he caught was 'Temari' and 'sexy.' He raised an eyebrow, recognizing his baby brother's voice as the one who said sexy. Gaara was much more intoxicated. He sighed, remembering that Temari had called earlier in the day, leaving a message on their answering machine, saying that she was going to be staying at her boss's house for dinner and not to worry if she came home late.

Hearing his drunk guests say her name, Kankuro wondered if she had come home already. He slid out of his bed and looked out his window, which happened to look right down into the road. He nearly felt like his day wasn't a complete waste when he saw his little sister in the arms of some guy. For some reason, they weren't kissing like Temari's usual boy toys were-they were just being gentle and sickeningly cute. Wondering if this was her last boyfriend, someone that went by the name of Bob (A/N: you know any random Japanese names off the top of your head!…well…maybe this Bob was an American who Temari decided to fuck…I dunno…), Kankuro waited until he could see the man's face, his eyes widening in surprise when he saw that, not only was this new guy not Bob, but that he was a _kid_. Well, not a kid, but a teenager somewhere around Gaara's age. In all of her relationships, Temari had always gone for men at least twenty, so the fact this guy was younger than his sister came as a surprise.

He couldn't hear them well, but he did pick up an unfamiliar name. _Shikamaru…so this guy's her new toy…hmm…he looks like a pansy…he'll probably last a week…_Kankuro bet to himself as he smirked and walked out of his room and, by the time he reached the middle of the stairs, Temari had walked into the door with a beaming grin on her face. She had caught a glimpse of the three cackling teens, then saw Kankuro on the steps, and raised an eyebrow.

"Do I want to know?" she asked, studying her one brother's new look, then to her other brother and his drunk friends. _I leave them alone for a few hours…and they get smashed without me…_she thought to herself with a sigh.

"Shukaku's dying!" Gaara cried as he waved a bottle at Temari, accidentally hitting Neji in the head with it. The, now, glaring Hyuuga took the bottle from him and took a swig of the amber liquid.

"My girlfriend broke up with meee!"

"Orochimaru tried to rape my girlfriend," Sasuke mumbled, slurring his words as he stole the peace-bottle from his childhood friend and downed the rest of the substance in one gulp. Kankuro and Temari both looked at Sasuke oddly for a moment. Sasuke had said nothing about why he was there or what had happened in his shitty day.

"And what about you, sexy?" Temari asked as she snatched the bottle away from Sasuke before it slipped from his grasp. The Uchiha whimpered as he looked at his empty hands, then to his two friends. Gaara sniffled and Neji pouted. Temari shook her head. Those three were definitely made for each other.

"…girlfriend forced me…" Kankuro snorted as he jumped down the last few steps and walked up to Temari, who fingered his hair curiously. His eye twitched for a moment as she snickered.

"If you weren't my brother, I'd hit on you," Temari stated coolly as she handed her older brother the glass bottle. "When did Sasuke get a girlfriend?…or visit his father?" Kankuro shrugged his shoulders. Quite frankly, he couldn't envision Sasuke with anyone-let alone letting her meet his creepy-ass father.

"…maa…Sasuke and his girlfriend were making out in the middle of the corridor last night!" Neji's garbled words made Temari look at the Uchiha who was smiling proudly, which got Gaara to chuckle.

"Un…and they were making out today…after getting back from Orochimaru's…h-hic brother told me about it…" Gaara snorted, ignoring the fact he had hiccupped in the middle of his statement as he began waving his finger at Sasuke. The raven-haired teen tried to bite his friend's finger, but snapped his teeth at thin air nearly a foot to Gaara's left. Neji snickered at Sasuke's bad aim, trying to hit his friend's forehead, but somehow smacked Gaara's waving finger and the trio smirked at each other.

"…what about Neji…I thought he and Hinata-chan were-" Temari froze in mid-sentence when Neji let out a sob. The teen wasn't usually the loudest of the bunch when drunk-and usually wasn't the depressed one either. Sasuke was always the depressed, while Gaara (surprisingly) was the noisiest.

"…I didn't do anything! She just hit me and called me a selfish…a selfish bastard!" Neji wailed, clinging to Gaara's shirt as Sasuke laughed at his friend's apparent misery. Temari's brother, on the other hand, patted Neji on the head and made hushing sounds. If nothing else, the group was a comedy act in themselves.

"…and who was that guy?" Kankuro asked slyly as he bumped his hip into Temari's. She glared at him for a moment before sighing and smiling happily. He didn't want to ask about her choice in expression. Temari only smiled when she was really made at him.

"…Nara…Shikamaru…" Temari said softly, a blush coming to her face. Kankuro watched this curiously, but his attention turned to the drunk teenagers when he heard the two of the three giggle. "And what's your problem!"

"S-Shikamaru!" Neji sniggered as Sasuke joined him in his laughter. The pair looked like they had completely lost their minds-until Gaara started laughing, for no good reason…then it was just evident that all three had gone insane while Temari had been gone.

"He's so boorring!" Sasuke commented, emphasizing his 'boring' as he leaned over on the couch and held his stomach as he let out another hysterical giggle. Temari sighed, shaking her head. Kankuro glanced over at her quickly enough to catch the brief smile that crossed her lips.

_He's anything but boring…_Temari thought to herself, wondering how she could be so turned on by such an innocent kiss. _He's amazing…_ Kankuro chuckled, gently smacking his sister's face before she got too far into her delusions.

"What about you, Kankuro? You're not wearing any makeup…no hat…you're hair's actually _brushed_…this girl sure is something," Temari stated, smiling when her brother's uncovered face erupted in pink. She had to admit it to herself-looking at Kankuro like this-he probably could get anyone he wanted. _About time_…she said inwardly, smiling at her older brother.

"…yea…they're something…" Kankuro replied, getting a glance from Temari that meant she caught his pronoun and wanted an answer to her unasked question. "…I'll tell you later…" He gave her a grin that, thankfully, made Temari sigh and shrug her shoulders.

Kankuro watched the three drunk teens for a moment, wondering how small a world it was. Temari's boyfriend apparently went to school with Sasuke, whose girlfriend somehow knew Gaara, who had been the one to urge Hinata to finally go after Neji before the poor man tried to hang himself from frustration. Kankuro had found out, from the creepy guy, Gai (as he was kicking the man out the door), that his son, who happened to have a crush on Gaara, went to school with Neji, whose cousin/(ex) girlfriend had been the one to introduce Kankuro to Sakura. The girl ironically was a Sasuke-fan and made Kankuro meet Ino, who was also in love with Sasuke, who just so happened to be good friends with Choji, who had a best friend named 'Shikamaru.' Merely thinking about it made Kankuro's head hurt.

He wasn't sure exactly what that made him to acquainted (however indirectly) to everyone his brother, Sasuke, and Neji, knew, but he was sure of one thing. If it hadn't been for this complex web of interactions, he would have never met the person he fell in love with.

_Choji_…

/…we'll stop there for now…\

Authoress: BOO YAAAAAHHH!…didn't see that one comin,' did ya!

Neji:…Hinata broke up with me…WHY!

Authoress: that's for the next chapter…

Kankuro: I…like Choji?…I thought I was dating Sakura…

Choji:…food?

Authoress: okie…I'll explain this for everyone-just so I don't get those 'WTF just happened!' reviews…kay!

1. Gaara and Lee hold a mutual attraction.

2. Temari and Shikamaru are now an item (and, personally, I think Shikamaru is sooooo Choji's piece of ass…but I had to give Kankuro somebody!…and that's one pairing I've never heard of before!)

3. Sakura is dating Kankuro in appearances only (the reason will be explained later). She's really with Ino--and don't give me that look, folks…if anyone asks for it, I'm writing a Yuri chapter!

4. Sasuke (and the majority of the other characters) still believes Naruto (Aoi) to be a girl.

5. KANKURO LIKES CHOJI!…and Choji is obviously attracted to him…so deal with it…/smiles/ you have to give me brownie points for creativity there!

6. Hinata and Neji had a fight (what about will also be explained later…I'm not writing another section for this chapter…I think I'm getting carpel tunnel) and she hit Neji (so very un-Hinata-ish, I know) and now he thinks that they have broken up and is, obviously, heartbroken.

7. Shukaku finally made his appearance…and no one likes him, except, maybe, Gaara.

Sooo…now that that's all squared away…sayonara until I get feeling back in my wrists! And, please, review and tell me if I missed explaining something-it better not be something I clarified in numbers 1-7, unless you need me to go into further detail!…/smiles evilly/ until our next chapter, arigatou and oyasumi!


	8. And Alice Said To the Cheshire Cat

Authoress: yosh! I'm back again with chapter _eight_ of Hensou…I didn't think I could drag things out this long…but…/smiles/ I'm just having so much fun with the mind fucks…so I'll keep my rants short and sweet today! Oh…one more thing I'd like to mention before starting this chapter….(some of you may have already heard about this) but I was looking for **some beta readers**…I currently have three (YOSH FOR ME!), so I don't really need any more beta readers right now...but if anyone is interested in getting previews to this (or other stories), summaries...or even some hints on what I may write for my next story (I have many good ideas...hehe)...I welcome all e-mails, reviews, and such...and, if you ask for something in your message, I'll definitely answer! (usually with an insanely long reply to your review (or whatever))...and if you are a member of hotmail...I'm almost always on MSN messenger (darkqueen(underline...underscore...whatever you wanna call it...since FFN doesn't let that particular stroke show up) 1 (same as my e-mail address)...you'll know me by that pervy Yaoi display pic of mine.../laughs/...and I have one more thing to mention...well, actually warn...this story is a YAOI (hear me now) **YAOI** fic...and there may be some instances of Hetero or Yuri...but the majority will be guy on guy action...so, I hope you are, in no way, offended by reading Yaoi (or maybe Yuri…if I feel so inclined to write later on)…. And…if you are offended by such things…..WHY HAVE YOU READ THIS FAR!...(I was reading through old reviews for one of my other stories and found some flames...and I just had to make that apparent...)...and one more thing.../smiles/ I'd like to thank **Heosic-chan** for beta-ing this chapter /claps/ she did a wonderful job...and I suggest everyone go to her FFN profile to check out her amazing stories /sighs/ some of the best Naruto fics I've read yet...

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto…but I would do some very creative changes in plots and characters' apparel!

Chapter Eight

(Third Person POV)

Hinata stared down that the silver phone in her hands, gently running her fingers over the bluish buttons, her movements filled with familiarity and the certainty with that went with it. The pressure wasn't enough to be registered as 'pressing' the buttons, so the Hyuuga heiress simply traced out the phone number, a lump developing in her throat as she remembered the voice that always picked up when she dialed that particular number. She bit her lower lip as a wave of sorrow swept over her at the faint memory of what she had always taken for granted.

_Maybe it would have been better if Neji-nii and I hadn't gotten into a relationship,_ Hinata told herself as she loosened her grip on the cell phone and watched as it fell to the carpeted floor with a soft _thud_. In the past few months of her taboo relationship with her cousin, Hinata had discovered the true meaning of love, but she had also been subject to the pain that accompanied such an affiliation. She bit her lip, hoping to prevent the tears that she could feel coming to her eyes, but that only made her lower lip quiver as she sniffled. She had been having such thoughts for over an hour, but no amount of repeating that statement could make her believe that things _would_ have been better if she and Neji never fell in love. She knew that he was the best thing to have ever come into her life, no matter how much pain came with it.

Hinata smiled sadly as she looked at the phone cradled in her shag rug. She hadn't gathered enough courage to actually _call_ Neji, just finger the achingly familiar digits. Hinata knew that Neji didn't deserve what happened that morning, but couldn't bring herself to call him up and apologize. She had gone with Sakura and Ino that afternoon in attempts to forget that she had had a fight with Neji, but it only made it hurt even worse when she got back home. Her father had business partners over for dinner, Hanabi had friends over, even Hinata's mother was entertaining guests…but Hinata was left alone to sulk in her room as she tried to work up the nerve to call her cousin.

_If it hadn't been for our relationship…Neji-nii would still be living here…_Hinata thought to herself as she pulled her knees up to her chest and wrapped her arms around her bare legs. She had been in her pajamas for the past two hours, but she didn't have any urge to sleep. With a soft sob, Hinata buried her head into her nightdress and let her emotions flow. Hinata was someone who hardly cried-she usually started stuttering or burying her head into something to escape the pain-so she was surprised that she was able to cry, continuously, over a half hour before she felt the last dregs of energy-and with it, sorrow-leave her. Hinata kept her head hidden in her pale nightdress, wishing that Neji was there. Even if he wasn't in the same room as her, she would have felt better knowing that he was near enough that she could feel his presence; know that, if she really needed him, he would be there in the blink of an eye.

Neji always had an ability to know exactly what to do and when to do it when it came to Hinata-today being the only exception. It was just a bad day for Hinata and she had accidentally taken it out on the person she loved most, going as far as to slap Neji as he tried to calm her down. At the time, all Hinata wanted to do was scream-to let out all the anger and pain she had been hiding from her family, but ended up hurting the one person who she had never meant to injure. Now, Neji probably wouldn't talk to her even if she tried calling him-if she ever could resolve to do so. _I just wanted to tell him…that…I was…_

Hinata broke down into a new spiral of depression as she remembered what had gotten her into such a bad mood in the first place. It wasn't a terrible thing, but, ironically, something wonderful-at least from Hinata's point of view. What had made her so quick to snap was that she knew how her father would react-what exactly he'd do to Neji _and _Hinata if he ever found out. Something like this would be inexcusable in Hiashi's mind and even the fact that Hinata was his eldest daughter wouldn't save her from his wrath.

"Hinata?" The Hyuuga pulled her head away from her knees when she heard her sister's voice echo into the room. Hanabi was standing in the doorway of Hinata's room, letting the hallway's light flood into the darkness of the unlit bedroom. Hinata sniffled, hoping that her annoying sister would leave her alone-as Hanabi was prone to do since she hated Hinata, but there was no such luck. Hanabi had caught a glimpse of her sister's tear-stained face and, even though she had always experienced indifference when it came to Hinata, she felt her sisterly instincts kick into overdrive when she saw the streaks of liquid. Hinata never cried, even Hanabi knew that. "What's wrong?"

"Go away, Hanabi," Hinata mumbled softly, her voice cracking after all the time she spent crying. She closed her aching eyes and sniffled quietly, keeping her head resting against her knees until she felt her bed shift. Hinata opened her eyes and turned her head enough to see her younger sister sitting on the bed, waiting for Hinata to say something. "Leave me alone."

"What's wrong?" Hanabi repeated stubbornly as she rested a hand on Hinata's shaking back, making her older sister look at her with distrust. "Look, I know…I know I'm not exactly a great sister…but I can tell something's wrong…"

"I'm _fine_," Hinata retorted, surprising herself with how sarcastic she sounded as she pulled her body away from Hanabi's touch. The smaller Hyuuga pouted slightly at her older sister's actions. She was _trying_ to be nice to Hinata for once and was about to say just as much when Hinata's façade crumbled and she flew into her sister's chest, clinging to Hanabi for dear life.

Hanabi was so stunned at the change in Hinata's character, she reflexively tightened her arms around Hinata's shivering body and just held her sister as she felt the tears soak through her clothes. Hanabi sat there, gently rubbing her sister's back until Hinata finally stopped weeping, but the Hyuuga heiress couldn't stop shaking until long after her tears ran out.

"What happened, Hinata?" Hanabi asked gently once she was sure Hinata wouldn't go into another hysterical fit. The older sister sniffled into Hanabi's shirt as a response. "I may be a bitch sometimes…but I'm still your sister, Hinata…you can talk to me." Hanabi's statement made the barest of smiles come to Hinata's face. She could hear that Hanabi was saying the truth-that she really did want to help Hinata for no other reason than that they were sisters.

"…you can't tell Father…" Hinata mumbled into her sister's chest between taking deep breaths to calm herself down. Hanabi could barely make out what her sister said, but what Hinata said next made Hanabi's eyes widen as the younger Hyuuga prayed what she heard had somehow been misunderstood.

"I'm…pregnant…"

/Authoress: BOO YA!…hehe…yep…that's one hell of a twist, ne?…I'll stop now…/

**_Bang! BANG! BANGBANGBANGBANG!_**

"FUCK!" Naruto cried as he flew out of his bed, cursing whatever hellish deity existed. It was, in all ways unholy, to bang on his front door at four in the morning and the Uzumaki didn't care _who _you were. No one had the right to wake him up in the middle of the most erotic dream he had to date. It dealt with two of his biggest passions-Sasuke and ramen. It was one sexy image, in the blonde's mind. In attempt to restrain himself from throttling whoever was on the other side of the door, Naruto kept that image in his mind as he plodded through the tiny apartment. Once he reached the closed door, that was still being "knocked" on (if that incessant pounding could be called a knock), Naruto took a deep breath and opened the door. Naruto only got the chance to get a glimpse of his guest before the Hyuuga plowed into his chest and knocked him down onto his bottom, with her in his lap.

"Naruto-kun…gomen for coming so late…demo…demo…" Hinata burst out into a wail, clinging to Naruto's less-than-clothed body. It took Hinata a moment to realize she was wrapped around a nude blonde, then another moment before she slowly got off of him, apologizing profusely.

"Calm down, Hinata!" Naruto exclaimed as he stood up, making no attempts to cover himself from the Hyuuga. Hinata had seen him naked more than once, so what's there left to hide? Naruto nodded at his logic, waiting for the girl quiet down before he took a deep breath and smiled. "What are you doing here?"

"…N-Neji…we got into a fight…and I h-hit him…and when I went…to Sasuke-kun's to apologize…neither one of them…was there…a-and…I-I didn't want to go back home…" Hinata replied between taking deep breaths in order to compose herself. It apparently didn't work as Hinata went into a new set of sobs, reattaching herself to Naruto's nude body.

"Then they're probably at Gaara's," Naruto theorized, amazing himself that he could actually think straight when so tired that he was about to pass out in the middle of his apartment with the front door wide open. Yawning softly as he wrapped his arms around the girl's shivering frame, Naruto then made a soft shushing sound that, when Iruka made it, had always gotten Naruto to calm down when he was young.

"… I'm sorry for waking you up," Hinata said quietly, her voice slightly muffled since her face was still buried into Naruto's chest. "I didn't mean to-"

"Daijoubu, Hinata…look, why don't you sit down and tell me what happened?" Naruto asked, remembering that his friend had mentioned something about getting into a fight with Neji and _hitting_ him. Neji didn't seem like the kind of person who would take a hit, even if it was from his girlfriend, and Hinata wasn't someone who would attack her lover without a good cause. _I get suspended for a few days…and I miss this!_ Naruto sighed at his luck. In his second day of suspension, the most enamored couple in their school had a physical fight, which left Neji missing and Hinata in hysterics.

Hinata nodded her head at Naruto's suggestion and quickly let go to find a seat on the blonde's bed that rested against the farthest window from the front door. With a smirk, Naruto watched Hinata smooth out the crumpled (and suspiciously stained) sheets, her naivety quickly being replaced by a blush. _Hehe…that's what you get for waking me up in the middle of a dream…_Naruto stated to himself as the girl eeped and stood up, the blush on her face turning to a deep crimson. "You're acting like a virgin, Hinata," Naruto stated seductively as his friend's blush deepened _further_, if that was even possible. Naruto chuckled and pointed to his kitchen table. Hinata quickly moved to the table and sat down in one of the chairs, keeping her eyes glued to the tabletop as Naruto sat down across from her. The blonde jumped slightly at the cold wood against his nude body, but ignored it when he saw the fresh tears in Hinata's eyes. "What did I miss today?"

"…this morning…anou…yesterday morning," Hinata corrected herself as she glanced at the digital clock on Naruto's microwave, smiling sheepishly when she realized what time it really was. "…I…got some news…"

"…did someone die?" Naruto asked curiously, making the girl snort and shake her head. "Then what happened?…is it something horrible that Haku'll love to spread around the club tonight?" Naruto questioned, knowing that his gossip-loving brother would be ecstatic to hear what had brought _Hinata _of all people to Naruto at four in the morning.

"…Iie…it's…something…wonderful…" Hinata replied positively, but then her face dropped and she sighed. "But…Neji and my father won't see it the same way…"

_Neji…and her father? What do they have to do with this news…if it's something wonderful?_ Naruto wondered to himself, crossing off the possibility that Neji finally proposed. The older Hyuuga wouldn't be anything but bouncing for joy if he and Hinata were engaged. "…you make it sound so scandalous!" Naruto exclaimed, smirking. "You're making it sound like you're pregnant or…some…thing?…" Naruto took one look at Hinata's raised eyebrow and that slight smile and his eyes widened. "HOLY FUCK!…you're…_pregnant!_ How is that possible? I mean, I know _how_, but…whoa…what did Neji say…?" Naruto ranted, but stopped when he saw that he had hit a nerve with that last question. "Neji doesn't know yet?"

"…I…I was so nervous yesterday…I snapped at him before I could…tell him…" Hinata mumbled, pushing her fingers together, which she hadn't done in months. Naruto sighed and slid his hands across the table to grasp his friend's. "A-And…I…I didn't want to tell Neji-nii over the phone…"

"…so tell him today in school," Naruto commented as he tightened his grip on Hinata's shaking hands. She was seriously afraid, but Naruto couldn't blame her. He had heard enough about her father to see that the man wasn't someone you fucked with, unless you had a death wish. In other words…Neji was as good as dead if the Hyuuga patriarch ever found out about Hinata's pregnancy.

"…I…have a doctor's appointment…I…was wondering…i-if you'd come with me, Naruto-kun…" Hinata whispered softly, biting her lip as she looked into Naruto's eyes, as if she was searching for something. She evidently found what she was looking for from the smile she gave Naruto. "…I'm…not going to tell Neji-nii…"

"Nani!"

"…he'll be leaving Konoha in less than two months…after he graduates. I don't want him to give up on going to college because I'm pregnant…" Hinata said, her voice filled with emotion. Naruto was impressed to hear that there wasn't an ounce of fear or doubt in Hinata's voice. She had thought this out and thought this was the best for everyone-even if it meant giving up on Neji.

"…are you sure?" Naruto asked gently, brushing his fingers against Hinata's hands, which had finally stopped shaking. She nodded her head and gave Naruto a smile. "…I guess we're going to have to do a complete wardrobe change in a couple of months…" He flashed a forced grin at Hinata, but the Hyuuga heiress couldn't see the blonde was inwardly cringing at the thought of hiding something like this from, literally, everyone except themselves.

/….on to another section of the story/

(still third person POV)

Temari slammed on Gaara's bedroom door, hearing three distinct moans as she _knocked_ a second time. She was actually surprised it took one of the teens only a few seconds to get up and crack the door open before she pounded a third time. Sasuke glared at her for a moment from the small opening in the door, then opened the door the rest of the way and went back to sprawl face down across Gaara's unoccupied bed. Temari glanced around the messy room and found her brother curled up on a windowsill and Neji lounging across the cluttered floor. Gaara was rubbing his eyes as he yawned while Neji simply laid there, unable to move.

"…I'm guessing you three aren't going to get plastered again for a while?" Temari asked, gently poking Neji with her foot. The lethargic Hyuuga moaned, burying his head into the pile of clothes near his head. "…you're going to be late for school, Hyuuga…and as for you two…" Temari glared at the Uchiha and her brother with an icy look. They froze where they sat/laid and kept their eyes on Temari. "…you're going to clean this house until it shines! I am not going to clean up after you three go on drinking binges…oh, the veterinarian called, Gaara, and said that Shukaku will be fine. Also…Hinata stopped by with a blonde…to see if you two idiots were here." That comment was directed at Neji and Sasuke, who looked at each other with curious looks. "…Hinata apologized, but said she doesn't want you back, Neji, unless you stop this 'destructive nature,' her words exactly…and that blonde said that you're an evil bastard for not inviting her to binge drink with you."

Neji dropped his head even deeper into the pile of clothes at Temari's forthright statement, while Sasuke gave Temari the middle finger from the bed. She sighed, returning the gesture to Sasuke as she walked over to Gaara and ran her fingers through his hair in an attempts to make the fiery locks stick up at less…unusual directions. Gaara was quick to pull away from Temari's attentions, but he did take a glance in his mirror and started fiddling with his bed-head.

"I'm going to work now…I hope you all suffer all day with terrible hangovers," Temari all but sang as she strutted back out of the room, leaving three perplexed teens in her wake.

"…the hell is wrong with her?" Neji asked, his voice muffled by the clothing in his mouth. Gaara shrugged, not that Neji could see him, and Sasuke raised an eyebrow. The Hyuuga pulled his head out of the pile of material and frowned as light hit his eyes. "…did we really drink that much?"

"…all I remember…is _Shikamaru_…" Sasuke replied curiously, looking at Gaara for confirmation and the Sabaku frowned when he realized he couldn't place the name to a specific person. "…and Kankuro…got a makeover?"

"…Un…that I remember," Neji replied, smirking when he remembered what a change it was to see Kankuro without any makeup and with his hair _neat_. "…but Shikamaru?"

"…he was kissing Temari last night…" Gaara stated, finally remembering where he knew that name from. _He's the son of Temari's boss…_the redhead added inwardly as he watched Neji and Sasuke chuckle to themselves.

"…we can't let Shikamaru live this down," Neji decided as he pushed himself up into a sitting position and turned to look at his two friends. "Maa…I have to get to school…have fun cleaning."

"…Teme…" Sasuke mumbled, keeping his face planted into Gaara's mattress as he flipped off Neji. The Hyuuga chuckled as he stole a few articles of Gaara's clothing that he assumed to be clean and went in search of the bathroom and breakfast.

_Now…how to suck up to Hinata?_ The Hyuuga wondered to himself, but didn't think of a good answer, which was just as well, since Hinata never came to school that day.

/…should I continue?…alright…one more section!

Sasuke glared at the flashing light on his answering machine for a minute, weighing out his choices. If he did listen to the messages, he'd probably have to deal with Aoi's screeching, but if he didn't, he would just have to listen to her later-in person. Deciding that the message was a lesser of two evils, Sasuke pushed a button and Aoi's voice filled his once-silent room.

"TEME! I can't believe you! We were supposed to hang out yesterday and you ditched me to go off somewhere! And then I find out you went drinking with Neji without meeeee! You two had Hinata all worried! BASTARD!" Sasuke raised an eyebrow when he heard an echoing _bang_ come from the message, quickly followed by Hinata's soft voice.

"Gomen nasai, Sasuke-kun…_Aoi_ and I wanted to leave you a message in case my father called and asked where I was. I…I went over to Aoi-kun's house and we were going to go out today…" Sasuke frowned at Hinata's later comment. Hinata never voluntarily skipped school, especially considering their final exams were coming up in a month or so. The Hyuuga would never miss classes unless something was seriously wrong. _…mate…I remember what was wrong with Neji. He and Hinata had a fight. She probably doesn't want to see him for a while, _Sasuke theorized, flinching when a high-pitched screech came over his answering machine. The fact he had a terrible hangover didn't help make matters any better.

"Oi, teme…one more thing…you kiss like a girl!" With that, the message abruptly ended with a soft _click_. Sasuke blinked at the black box in amazement. _Like…a girl?_ He felt his face warm up as he remembered the last time he saw Aoi and what he _nearly_ did with her. _Kuso…she's never going to let me live that down…_Sasuke thought to himself, wondering what this meant to his relationship with the blonde. He wasn't exactly sure he could call himself her boy_friend_…they weren't even _friends_. All Aoi had ever been to him was a major pain in the ass. With a sigh, Sasuke reprimanded himself for thinking something like that. Aoi _was_ a friend-an annoying friend, but a friend all the same-but Sasuke never thought that his hidden feelings for her would ever come to light. Let alone be shared!

Sasuke reran the events of the past few days in his head. He and Aoi got into a fight that left Sasuke with a broken arm (that still stung terribly). That night, when Aoi came to apologize, Sasuke all but ravished her. She then passed out while taking a shower and Sasuke found out a few surprising facts about the usually bouncy teen. Aoi wore a massive amount of makeup to cover up scars on her face and she wore a wig to cover up her short, unruly hair. The third thing that Sasuke discovered about his _friend_ was that she cut herself. The memory of seeing the shockingly white bandages against Aoi's tan skin made Sasuke shiver slightly. He had his moments of depression-who wouldn't in his situation-but Sasuke was too cowardly to actually harm himself (with sharp objects at least). Aoi always had a smile on her face, but she had a serious problem with depression where as Sasuke just drank and used drugs, but that particular pastime was becoming less and less frequent. The Uchiha pulled himself out of his thoughts when he heard his answering machine start a new message. And the voice made Sasuke step backwards hesitantly.

"Sasuke-kun…I called to tell you it was a _pleasure_ to have your _girl_friend visit the other day. She's very…spirited. Wouldn't it be fun to take that away from her? Kimimaro would have agreed with me, but sadly, he died yesterday." The fact that there wasn't an ounce of sadness in the slithery man's voice made Sasuke tighten his hand into a fist. His entire body shook slightly, but refrained from doing anything, since the evil bastard wasn't even there to see Sasuke snap. Sasuke slowly let the fact of Kimimaro's death filter through his mind and Sasuke found himself not caring at all. "Oh, one more thing, Sasuke-_kun_…I spoke to Itachi the other day…and he told me about a _play_ you're going to be in. _Daijoubu_…I'll be there…_kuku kuku._"

The message ended with a _click _and Sasuke found himself lowering his shivering body into a nearby chair as another message filled the room after the machine stated the time the message was taken, which was surprisingly at four a.m. that morning. That time made Sasuke raise an eyebrow, but thankfully, though, it was a voice that didn't make the Uchiha's skin crawl, just twitch.

"Sasuke-kun…gomen for calling at such a strange hour, but my servants just informed me that Hinata is missing and I was sure that she would be with _him…_" Hiashi's voice took on an unfamiliar, threatening tone when he mentioned Neji. Obviously he still wasn't over the fact Hinata and Neji were a couple. "I know Neji is currently living with you and I know you won't let this _atrocity _occur within your home, so I do not mind if Hinata is there." For some reason, Hiashi's tone had dropped to something close to _soothing_, which made Sasuke imagine that his tiny wife was glaring at him for all her worth. The man couldn't stand when his wife was mad at him, so he was probably trying his best to be forgiving, but such a quality wasn't in Hiashi's nature. "…onegai…just tell her to come home…" This message ended with an even softer _click _than the other messages. Sasuke rubbed his aching temples, wondering when he had become the image of morality, let alone trust. Hiashi had to know by now that Sasuke had nothing against Hinata and Neji's relationship, but somehow, the Hyuuga trusted Sasuke to keep them apart while they were in his home. Sasuke pondered momentarily how he would even _accomplish_ such a feat. With a pry bar?

Sasuke was about to get up and make himself a _strong_ pot of coffee, but froze in his seat when he heard the answering machine spurt out _another _message. Four messages in one night through the next morning…it was a new record for the quiet Uchiha.

"Ohayo, Uchiha-san…obviously you're not home, even though it _is_ only seven in the morning," the woman's voice took on a reprimanding tone, which made Sasuke twitch slightly. _She_ was mad at him for being out all night when she herself was hardly around enough for Sasuke to get an appointment! "…my secretary has already scheduled another appointment for tomorrow afternoon at three. After yesterday, I think it would be better if we got together to talk on a more regular basis and I _suggest_ you bring that female friend of yours." It wasn't a _suggestion_, like she stated, but a requirement. Sasuke glared at the machine, wishing that he could just ignore this message completely, but the woman knew where he lived-and she was the kind of person who would make a house visit if he didn't show up. "Uchiha-san…I know it may be hard to tell your girlfriend that you see me, but I believe that she can help with your issues and I'd like to meet her." Sasuke inwardly cursed, wondering why he had even _mentioned_ Aoi. With a bitter smirk, he remembered exactly why-it slipped out. The blonde woman had asked Sasuke why he was in such a perky mood (for Sasuke) when he had gone to her office the day before. Sasuke had replied without even thinking, 'I found someone…' That only lead to the bitchy woman interrogating Sasuke and he finally cracked, mentioning a few things about Aoi. She had put two and two together and recognized this 'someone' to be the same girl Sasuke was tutoring (another slip up on Sasuke's part). The Uchiha couldn't keep his mouth shut whenever he was in the woman's presence.

"Uchiha-san, I know you're still listening to this message, so I have one more thing to say to you. If you _ever_ walk out of a session like that again, I will be forced to restrain you!" The message ended with an echoing _slam_ and Sasuke sighed in relief. He had, literally, stormed out of the cozy room as he flipped off the woman. He then continued to leave the office, kicking the secretary's annoying pet pig as he left. With a smirk, Sasuke wondered if he had seriously injured the pink creature. He wouldn't be anything but ecstatic if he heard it was dead.

"Oi teme! It's me again…Hinata…and I need a ride…" Aoi's voice gave Sasuke an image of the blonde smiling sheepishly as she rubbed the back of her head as Hinata sighed in the background. How did he end up attracted to such stupidity? "…we called your friend's house but he said you left a while ago, so I'm guessing you're home, you anti-social bastard…" A light _smack_ came though and Sasuke inwardly cheered for Hinata's bravery in hitting the blonde. "Itai!…hehe…_any_ways…we're at the mall and it's…two…thirty…" Sasuke sighed, glancing at a clock hanging on the wall across from him. It was 2:45, which meant that they had just left the message right before he got in his house. With a sigh, Sasuke slowly stood up and gave the answering one last glare, as if waiting for it to spit out another message, but Aoi wasn't done yet. "One more thing, you stuck-up prick…Hinata's moving in with me and if you tell her father, I'll kill ya!" With that, the message ended and Sasuke was left with blissfully dead silence.

_Moving in with Aoi?…doshite?_ Sasuke wondered to himself as he stood up and went over to the black box that had finally finished spewing out messages-none of which Sasuke wanted to hear. He quickly erased all the recordings, then went in search of his keys.

/Authoress: okay…just one more part…/smiles innocently/ we're kinda going _back_ in time to get to this part…so please deal with it…/grins/

"Naruto-kun!" Hinata exclaimed as she ripped the cell phone out of the blonde's hands and gently hit him in the back of the head with it. He chuckled as he pulled the Hyuuga into a bear hug, laughing outright when she squirmed to free herself. "Why did you tell Sasuke-kun I'm moving in with you?"

"Be_cause_…" Naruto took a deep breath, not releasing his hold on the girl. "You can't really hide a pregnancy from your family if you're living with them! What would happen if someone walked into your room before you were finished getting dressed or something? Hanabi might be ignorant, but I think even she'd notice you've grown a basketball for a stomach!" Hinata slapped Naruto for that comment, but couldn't help but agree with his logic. "Anyways, you don't have to be stressed out with hiding it from your family all the time if you live with me. Hell, my family wouldn't care-they'd probably spoil you if they found out!"

"…Arigatou, Naruto-kun…" Hinata whispered, tears coming to her eyes. Naruto caught a glimpse of this and squeaked out a 'don't cry,' but it did no good. Hinata returned the embrace, burying her head into Naruto's warm chest as she let finally let her emotions take the better of her. After visiting the doctor, it finally started sinking in for the small Hyuuga. She, Hyuuga Hinata, a mere sixteen year old high school student, was pregnant-and she knew nothing about such matters. Not only that, but she had decided to keep such a major event a secret from everyone in her family, even Neji.

A whole new wave of tears hit her when Hinata remembered the doctor's appointment. The woman was very nice, asking very few questions about Hinata's _situation_, simply because she was slightly curious why someone so young would keep a child. The one thing that had surprised Hinata was that the doctor had assumed Naruto was the father. Hinata hadn't expected that, since most people mistook the pretty blonde as a girl upon first glance-sometimes _all_ 'glances.' Hinata pressed her face even deeper into her friend's shirt, starting to regret making Naruto an accomplice in her plot.

The girl couldn't help but feel ashamed to ask Naruto to keep something like this a secret, but a small part of the Hyuuga reminded her that she knew and kept _his_ secrets. That small part was the same side of her that had decided to hide her pregnancy from everyone but Naruto. Not even the doctor knew Hinata's real name, just in case her father ever looked at her health files. It was a good thing that people could easily be paid off in order to ask no questions. She looked back up into Naruto's worried face and smiled. It always amazed her how different the young man looked in and out of school and the club. In high school, he was, hands down, one of the prettiest 'girls' enrolled, while at the club, he was one of the sexiest men. Looking at him now, as his worry dissipated and he broke out in a broad grin, Hinata didn't see either persona that Naruto had worked so long to keep. Now, she saw him for who he truly was-a normal teenager whose beauty went far beyond his facial features. Naruto held a splendor that couldn't be contained by the limits of gender-or even by looks. He radiated a quality that had captured Hinata so completely, her earlier fears were already disappearing under the energy of his honest smile. Hinata knew that, if it hadn't been for the fact she was already hopelessly in love with Neji when she first met "Aoi," she probably would have fallen for Naruto within moments. That was just the kind of person he was. Even back before they were on a first name basis with one another, Hinata recognized that attribute in her best friend, and everyday she thanked whatever gods that existed that she had had the pleasure to meet Naruto. Hinata had known about Naruto's _situation_ since almost the beginning of the school year. With the barest of chuckles, Hinata recalled the day she first ran into Naruto.

/A/N: you could tell this would be a flashback, ne?

(Hinata's POV!…oooh, have we done this POV before? I don't think so…)

I nervously swallowed, trying to remove the lump that had lodged itself in my throat. I couldn't stop myself from looking down at my trembling hands when I felt _his_ gaze travel across the crowded auditorium, as though he knew it was me that had been watching him. Almost an instant later, I could feel the sensation of eyes on me leave, and with it, a sigh of relief. I had already tuned out the principal's voice, that had been dragging on in a monotone for the past fifteen minutes, so I had nothing else to do except look around at the mass of heads.

There were familiar faces-those people who I knew from last year. All of my old classmates had returned, even Kiba, which surprised me, since he was so terrible in all classes. I looked around, seeing many of the girls who I had become something of "friends" with last year. Sakura and Ino were arguing about something with each other in hushed voices; they had been talking in barely contained screeches for the entire speech and had only broken out into one slapping fit in all that time. Thankfully, the pair had only hit each other once before one of the new teachers had come to sit between them. The man was very pleasant on the eyes, I had to admit. He wasn't one of those types that every girl in the school would throw themselves on (though we did have a few of those in previous years). He had a look in his eyes that was almost…_brotherly_. It was very calming to see someone like him, someone who you could immediately tell actually cared about the students, not his salary or the chance to see girls in gym clothes (we had a few of those teachers also, but most of them had been fired, thankfully). I studied the back of his brunette head for a moment, inwardly wondering if it was against regulations for male teachers to have such long hair. I had never seen another teacher whose hair was long enough to put into a ponytail, whose tips could brush the back of his neck with ease, if they weren't sticking up at an odd, gravity defying angle. It almost reminded me of Nara-san's hair in that way. I glanced to my left and saw the black-haired boy, who was sleeping with his head resting on Akimichi-san's shoulder. That boy had a bag of chips on his hand, a soda in the other. He and Kiba-san were trading the chips and soda back and forth, somehow keeping the foodstuff hidden from the brunette teacher only a few seats down from them. Maybe the man was just ignoring the pair of eating teens and the sleeping one since his attention was mainly on the pair of girls leaning out of their seats to argue across him. I covered my mouth to hide a smile. The poor man didn't know what he was getting in to when he tried to separate Ino and Sakura.

I continued looking around, noticing that the only Aburame in our school was sitting on the other side of Nara-san, his face halfway buried into his jacket while the other half of his face was hidden by (prescription) sunglasses. I couldn't tell if he was paying attention or not, but I guessed he was as interested in the speech as I, and everyone else, was. My pale eyes then shifted, making sure to quickly skip over that head of long, black hair. On one side was Ten-Ten-sempai, who was very…interesting. She had visited the mansion on more than one occasion, but I didn't really know her since I always stowed away in my room when she was around. Truth be told, I was slightly afraid of the young woman. On the other side of _him_ was Rock-sempai. He was a very kind young man, whose smile always got me to giggle when I hadn't escaped to my room before he got into the mansion (he usually accompanied Ten-Ten-sempai when she came to work on one project or another with _him_). When he wasn't making some speech about youth and energy, he would joke with me and make bets with himself to test his limits. I found his presence very calming-for all his wild antics.

I then continued down the lines of people, recognizing many as _his_ classmates, and more of my own. There were many new faces, most of them belonging to the grade below mine. Surprisingly, though, my eyes kept landing on the back of one head in particular. It must have been the unnatural-looking blonde hair. From the length of those pigtails of shockingly yellow hair, I guessed the person was a girl, but I could see from my seat that she was wearing a boy's uniform. I knew our dress codes weren't exactly strict (or even enforced most days), but teachers never let students wear the opposite sex's clothing. Perhaps it was a boy and he was like many of the other boys in our school and liked to wear his hair long. But _pigtails_? Our principal had problems with Nara-san's ponytail last year-this would be beyond "school protocol."

As though she (he?) knew I was looking at her (him?), the blonde turned around and the brightest blue captured my gaze. I had never known such a color existed, let alone be the color of someone's eyes. The shade couldn't have been natural, I theorized, but I found myself lost in their depths. Those blue eyes belonged to one of the prettiest faces I had ever seen, so I assumed this _girl_ must have just wanted to rebel, so she wore the boy's uniform. She had rosy, slightly rounded cheeks and long, thick eyelashes that I could see from so far away. A thin blonde eyebrow, whose color matched that of her long hair, rose as she watched me. Apparently her hair color was natural. I blushed as I tore my eyes away and looked down. I hadn't meant to stare, but there was just something so hypnotic in those eyes.

I continued to stare downwards, pushing my index fingers together until I heard the shuffling of chairs as people around me began standing up. I slowly followed suit, but froze when I saw a pair of bright orange sneakers (which were definitely against the dress code) out of the corner of my eye. I looked up and heat rose to my face when I found myself staring into those amazingly blue eyes again.

"…Ohayo…" she said softly, her voice higher than I was expecting. She looked away from me as a nervous smile coming to her face. I returned the slightest of smiles and repeated her greeting softly. "…I'm Aoi…" _How…fitting…_I thought to myself as I giggled slightly and those eyes filled with humor. "Interesting name, ne?"

"…M-My name is H-Hyuuga Hinata…" I stammered, bowing politely. She chuckled, her laugh deeper than I would have expected from such a feminine person. I blushed deeply as she continued to giggle. My eyes fell to the ground, wondering if I had done something wrong and she was laughing _at_ me.

"…gomen, Hinata-chan…I-I'm new here…and I was wondering if you could tell me how to get to my classroom…" I glanced upwards and saw her smiling sheepishly. I wondered momentarily if she was _always_ smiling and laughing, but kept the question to myself as I nodded my head. "…anou saa…I'm in 2-A…and…I don't know where exactly to go…"

"…I-I'm in 2-A too…" I stuttered in reply. For a moment, I was surprised to know this girl was in my class. She looked old enough to be in _his_ class, but her smile made her look even younger than I was. For a moment, I pondered over the idea she was held back, but I could see a glimmer of intelligence in her azure eyes. "…O-Our classroom…is t-this w-way…" I couldn't help my stammering. It always happened when I was talking to someone, especially someone I didn't know. Also, I wasn't used to talking so _much_ with someone. Usually the most someone could get out of me was an incomplete sentence, which almost always was one or two words.

"…arigatou, Hinata-chan!" she exclaimed. I jumped in surprise when she tackled me and wrapped her arms around my small body. _She's really tall…_I realized as I found myself being squashed into her chest. I briefly wondered if she was related to Rock Lee…her actions and temperament were very similar to his. I couldn't help but chuckle into her chest. There was something very calming about her and I found myself immediately warming up to the Amazon-like girl.

/A/N: we're still in flashback mode, but we're skipping a little ahead in the first day of school!

I sighed in relief as the math teacher, Morino-sensei, finally finished his lesson for the day. Thankfully I had him last year and knew what to expect from the demanding teacher. Even on the first day of school, he had loaded our class with four homework assignments; all of which should take a minimum of a half hour to do. The good thing about Morino-sensei was that he only collected homework once a week, so students didn't have to do all his homework in one night. From the looks of Aoi, who was positively frightened by the assignments, she hadn't read about that detail in Morino-sensei's list of his expectations of our class. Since the majority of our class had him last year, many of us were sighing in relief as he left the room. Last year, he wasn't as compassionate as to only assign _four _pages for homework. Many times, I found myself staying up until ten or eleven at night with four hours of math homework. And I was one of the best students at math. The only person who could beat me in grades for math was Nara-san, but he usually didn't apply himself, so he was always on the fine line between passing and failing. Sakura-chan had identical grades to mine in math last year, but overall, she was far above me. She excelled in nearly every course, whereas I was only proficient in math and English. If I was a more boastful person, I probably would have rubbed in the fact I could speak English perfectly, just to make fun of Sakura-chan, who was still having a slight problem with the language. The only reason language came easily to me was that my father was a very powerful businessman and, as his eldest daughter, I would be taking over his company one day. Because of that, I was forced to take language classes since I was about five years old. English had only been the first of several languages. No one in the school knew I was multilingual, except for the teachers, who probably didn't believe that small detail about me. They probably didn't even know I could speak Japanese since I hardly ever talked in class and, even when I did, my words became jumbled and my grammar was terrible. Other students laughed at me for it, so I was usually exempt from answering questions aloud.

"Hinata-chan!" I nearly fell out of my seat in surprise when I heard Aoi scream into my ear. The girl was nearly bouncing as she handed me her schedule. It was nearly the end of the day, but she was still having a slight problem reading the complicated schedule. I had already memorized mine (and, technically, hers, since we had all the same classes). "What do we have next?"

Without even looking at the piece of paper, I replied, "G-gym…" The one class I hated more than anything else. The coach we had this year was the same as last year-Yuushi-sensei. She was, in the minds of all female students in our school, the incarnate of Satan. She was even more demanding than Morino-sensei and she wasn't even _pleasant_, like the scarred math teacher was. Aoi squeaked out something, but I didn't exactly understand what she said, since it was too high pitched to even hear syllables. I guessed it had something to do with our gym clothes (the disgusting things _those_ were). They were forest green bloomers and white t-shirts. Compared to some schools I had been to, these outfits were a godsend, but they were still the most unflattering thing I had ever worn.

"I can't go to _gym!_" Aoi exclaimed, her voice filled with worry. I watched her begin to hyperventilate for a moment, then chuckled. I _hated_ gym, but I never had gotten this worked up over the class. Aoi puckered out her lower lip and sniffled, probably hoping I would know a way out of the class. I would have suggested skipping, but knowing Yuushi-sensei, that woman would search every crevice in the school if she found out someone was trying to skip her class.

"W-why not, Aoi-san?" I asked curiously as I slowly closed my math books and placed them in the shelf underneath my desk. I got up out of the chair, waiting for Aoi to move so I could start walking to the door. The one thing unusual about Konoha High School (besides the teachers and array of students) was that, instead of having cubbies in the classroom, like traditional classrooms, we had lockers in the hallways. I preferred having the lockers, since it meant I wouldn't have to socialize with so many people in the back of the room just to get to my cubby. I knew that the school arranged lockers according to last name and classes, which meant that I was between Sakura-chan and Nara-san. Aoi, on the other hand, was somewhere on the far end of the row of lockers for class 2-A.

It only took me a moment to grab my gym clothes out of my thin locker, since I didn't have to wait for someone to move so I could reach my locker. Nara-san hadn't even gone to his locker and Sakura-chan was leaning against a locker near Ino-chan, bickering with the blonde girl. I stepped back out into the hallway that was crowded with our class, immediately able to find Aoi's blonde head among the sea of students. She jogged up to me, a folded pile of clothing in her hands. I took one look at the clothes and could immediately tell they weren't the uniform I had in my hands.

Aoi, obviously noticing that I was looking at her outfit curiously, smiled slyly and chuckled. "…I…have scars on my legs, so Yuushi-sensei said I could wear pants instead of…_those_." Aoi pointed to the green article in my hands and I couldn't help but chuckle. She apparently hated the outfit as much as I did.

I didn't mean to be nosy, but I couldn't help but wonder where she had gotten such terrible scars from that our gym teacher would allow her a different outfit. "S-scars?" I repeated curiously as I started walking towards the girls locker room to change. Aoi followed a half-step behind me, her steps unsure as we walked down the long hallways.

"…un…I was in an accident," Aoi stated quietly, her tone telling me that she didn't want to talk about it. I politely let the topic drop without another question, but I still wondered over it in my head. We walked the rest of the way in silence, finally reaching the girl's locker room which, from all the noise coming within, was already filled with the girls from our class.

I held the door open for Aoi and was quick to find a locker once she was through the doorway. Last year, I hadn't been able to get a locker, so I was forced to share with Ino-chan…and I never wanted to experience something like that again. It was the school's policy that gym lockers were shared by two (or sometimes three) people, unless you got one of the small lockers. No one voluntarily picked one those lockers since you couldn't even fit a shirt into the tiny things. I sighed in relief when I found one of the larger lockers that had yet to be claimed. I pulled the piece of yellow paper taped to it and burned the combination written on it into my memory. Aoi pulled the paper out of my hands and looked at it curiously. I couldn't help but question whether or not she had been in a school like ours before. She had no idea what to do in all of our other classes. After our first class, she had actually _left_ the room before noticing that no one except the teacher had moved. Since she had no problem with the idea of lockers, I theorized the school she went to before must have been more like an American school. Thinking along those lines, I wondered where Aoi lived before moving to Konoha.

"…Aoi-san…w-where did you m-move from?"

Aoi looked over at me in amazement. Maybe she hadn't been expecting that question from me. I smiled at her, wondering if it was impolite of me to ask. I was about to apologize when she chuckled. "…hehe…all over, I guess…my family just moved here a few weeks ago, but before that, we lived in Tokyo, Kyoto, Sapporo, Hirosaki, Yokohama, Osaka…for a while, we lived in Fukuoka…" I knew I must have looked amazed from the blush that appeared on Aoi's face as she trailed off.

"Y-you lived in Fukuoka!" Aoi and I both jumped when we heard Ino's outburst. I personally hadn't even known that the girl was in the room. Aoi nodded dumbly and we found ourselves surrounded by a few of the girls. "I've always wanted to go to Hakata-za Theatre!" I smiled slightly, remembering the one time I had gone to the famous theatre to see a musical with my family. Out of all of us, I think the only people who enjoyed it were Neji-nii-san and myself. For weeks afterwards, I wondered why my stoic cousin would have liked a _musical _of all things. I hadn't even known he even liked the theatre until that trip.

"…hai…my father was an actor there for a while…" Aoi replied, raising an eyebrow at Ino's surprising enthusiasm. I never knew she liked the theatre-but apparently she did from the squeal she let out when she heard Aoi's comment.

"Does that mean you've done acting before, Aoi-_chan_?" I heard mental warning bells go off when Ino's voice turned almost sickeningly sweet. Aoi innocently nodded her head since she didn't know the other blonde as well as I did. Ino was very…persuasive when she wanted to be. "Sugoi! Then you'll have to join our drama club this year! Gai-sensei is starting it up tomorrow during our study hall period. So far we have nine potential members…but Sakura, TenTen and I are the only girls…so would you join?"

"…a drama club?" Aoi glanced over at me and I nervously played with my fingers as I looked down at the ground. I would have loved to join, but who would want such a timid person in a drama club? "Hinata-chan and I'll join!" My nervousness blew into deathly fear when I heard her exclamation. I hated talking in front of our tiny class, how would I ever be able to _act_!

"Hinata-chan! You wanna join!" It was a rhetorical question in my mind, but I apprehensively nodded my head. She, unexpectedly, glomped me and I found myself being swung around like a rag doll. "That's great! Now we have two Hyuuga in the drama club!" With that, Ino let me go and left us with a friendly wave. I let out a breath I hadn't realized I was holding in. _Neji-nii-san…he's in the drama club? He's never said anything about that…_I thought to myself, so caught up in my own questions that I didn't realize Aoi was talking to me.

"Oi, Hinata-chan…_two_ Hyuuga? You have a brother or something?" Aoi asked curiously, cocking her head to the side. I bit my lip, wondering how I should answer the question. In a certain light, Neji _was_ like a brother, since our fathers were identical twins and he had been all but adopted into our family after his parents died, but he was still my cousin.

"…Neji-nii-san… "I replied quietly as I started to take off my shirt. If we didn't change soon, Yuushi-sensei would come in here and drag us out half-naked if she felt like it. I could tell Aoi averted her eyes as I quickly stripped down to my underwear then dressed in record time. I found it slightly curious that she was blushing. Most girls didn't care about other girls changing-since it's not like we're seeing something new. I wasn't ashamed anymore, even though I was probably the shiest girl in the entire school. I wondered if Aoi's old schools were _that_ different from ours that it was unusual for girls to change in the middle of the locker room. _She'll be in for a surprise at the end of gym class…_I thought to myself with a blush. Ino and Sakura had no qualms about taking showers and walking around nude until they were sufficiently dried. I had to deal with it all last year, so I knew I wouldn't be shocked to see them naked. I hadn't become that…outgoing yet. I still clung to my towel after gym class and waited for a stall or something in order to change back into my clothes.

"Neji, huh?" Aoi asked as soon as I finished readjusting my bloomers. I nodded my head, raising an eyebrow when I saw that Aoi had yet to even take her shoes off. "Hmm…ch-chotto mate…he's that prick that flipped me off this morning because I accidentally ran into him! Bastard…" Aoi growled softly, then glanced over at me and smiled innocently. "Hehe…thankfully you only _look_ like him, Hinata-chan…" I couldn't help but blush. Most people had to have Neji and I stand next to each other to notice our similar features (besides our pale eyes, that is). It actually took the majority of the school a few months last year to figure out that Neji and I were related (they somehow ignored the fact we had the same last name…). Very people in the school even knew how closely related we were. TenTen-sempai and Rock Lee were the only students to ever visit our house, so they were the only ones who knew Neji and I lived under the same roof. I didn't mind if people knew, but I usually kept that fact a secret since I could tell my cousin didn't want to be associated with me anymore than he had to. It hurt to know that. "That asshole was the one who hit into _me_!…grrr…I wanted to punch him in that pretty face of his!" Aoi continued ranting, shaking her fist in the air as I simply sat back and watched in amusement. Very few people were brave (or stupid) enough to talk badly about my cousin. I didn't know which Aoi was, but I was starting to lean towards the later.

"N-Neji-nii-san isn't t-that bad," I pointed out quietly, which made Aoi stop her raving abruptly. She blinked at me in amazement, then her cheeks turned pink. She looked down, ashamed. I smiled slightly at her spasmodic actions. If nothing else, Aoi would be able to keep a person guessing what'd she'd do next…

"Gomen…I shouldn't have said that about your brother…" Aoi said softly, keeping her head bowed. I giggled softly, which made Aoi glance up curiously. "Lemme guess, you agree with me that he's a prick?"

"Iie…Neji-n-nii-san is…my c-cousin…" I replied, smiling at Aoi. I agreed completely with her summary of my cousin. I had known him as far back as I could remember and Aoi had only met him this morning-and we knew about the same about him. Nothing, except he has a _bit_ of a personality deficit. That, and he dislikes just about everyone. Even his two 'best friends' were nothing more than classmates in Neji-nii-san's mind.

"C-Cousin?" Aoi repeated, staring at me with a dumbfound expression. "But…you said Neji-_nii-san_…" I nodded my head. It was what I always called my cousin, ever since I was a little child. He never told me to stop calling him it, so I just continued using the honorific, even after we "grew up." Neji had the sensibleness of an adult, but I was still just a little girl in a teenager's body. Maybe the large gap in our maturity levels was due to the experiences Neji had to face in his life. I couldn't imagine what'd it be like to lose both of my parents so suddenly, then be left alone in the world. My father took Neji in, but my cousin never saw that gesture as anything but another way to torture his existence. I knew that, once he graduated, that he would move as far away as he possibly could, then finish his schooling at whatever college he wanted. It somewhat hurt to know that I would probably never see him again after he graduated at the end of this school year. _And I'll never get to tell him…_ Even the thought of telling Neji-nii-san such a thing made my heart beat faster.

"W-we're very c-close c-cousins…" I said as I tried willing my heart back to a normal speed, but the lump that just developed in my throat wouldn't go away. I coughed to try ridding myself of it, but it did no good. "N-Neji-nii-s-san's father and m-my f-father were b-brothers…"

"_Were_?" Aoi looked at me curiously and I looked down, my cheeks burning pink. I had said too much about my cousin. Neji never talked about his family life, or anything about _his_ life to anyone, not even our family. Aoi obviously understood that I had spoken out of place and guessed what I wasn't going to tell her from the soft 'ah' that escaped her lips. "Oi, can you keep a watch, Hinata-chan?" I glanced up questioningly and saw the faint blush across Aoi's cheeks. I then looked around and found that we were the only people left in the room. I nodded my head, raising an eyebrow when I saw Aoi sprint across the room and into one of the empty bathroom stalls. I kept glancing from the painted stall door to the exit, but when neither opened for over five minutes, I started to get worried. I was about to go knock on the green stall door and had actually walked halfway there before I heard an 'eep' from the other side, quickly followed by a ripping sound and a _crash_.

"Aoi-san?" I hesitantly raised a hand to knock on the door, but my fingers froze when I heard a muffled cry from the stall, followed by a string of curses that had me blushing in no time. I furrowed my eyebrows when I heard Aoi's rant change into something that had my mind swirling. She had ceased speaking in Japanese, but had begun cursing in English. My eyes widened at her broad vocabulary of such filthy language (AN: not English, the language…just the terms Aoi's using), then remembered how she was struggling in our English class this morning with the simplest of things. Aoi didn't even know how to greet someone in English or say 'thank you.' How could she possibly know this much English (and pronounce it with, not a Japanese, but an American accent) and not know the basics of the language?

"Gomen, Hinata-chan…my hair got caught in my zipper…hehe…" I could tell Aoi was blushing furiously on the other side of the door. I chuckled softly to myself, wondering how she accomplished _that_ of all things. For such long hair, she must have gotten used to getting dressed without it getting in the way. Maybe it was one of those once-in-a-lifetime occurrences. "Could you…keep a secret?" There was something in Aoi's voice that made me step back slightly, contemplating what exactly Aoi could be hiding that she would sound almost frightened.

"Of course, Aoi-san…" I replied, turning to look at the exit and wondering how much time we had before Yuushi-sensei came in to drag us to the gym. It had to be less than five minutes, so whatever Aoi wanted to keep hidden from the rest of the school would have to be quick. My gaze returned to the stall door when I heard the latch slide across the door and the metal object opened with a slight _creak_. I found myself staring at a furiously blushing blonde.

Immediately, my gaze went to the blonde's head and I quickly realized something was wrong. Aoi's hair wasn't stuck in her zipper, it had been removed completely from her head and was attached to the ball of green Aoi was holding outwards. I bit back a snort as the, now, short-haired teen looked away in embarrassment and I quickly took the pants from her. I went back to sit at the bench below my locker and stared at the mess of hair and material. Upon closer inspection of the hair, I found it to be a beautiful wig of very human-like hair. Even looking at it this close, if I didn't know better, I'd say it really was hair that was still attached to someone's head.

"My brother is into wigs," Aoi commented as she came to stand in front of me. I slowly started picking the hair out of the metal teeth, but my curiosity got the better of me and my gaze quickly traveled to the girl's legs. _There's no scars on her legs…_I realized, but my eyes froze in the middle of their inspection when I saw something that _**definitely** _wasn't supposed to be there. Aoi turned to the side, covering her groin with her arms. The spell over my eyes broke with that slight movement and I eeped, nearly jumping off the bench when it hit me. The pretty blonde standing not even a meter away from me wasn't the girl she seemed to be. She was most certainly male. Aoi chuckled, nervousness in _his_ voice. Now that his charade had been found out, his voice dropped down from the high falsetto I had been getting used to. "…hehe…gomen…I didn't think I'd be found out on the first day of school."

"…why?"

"I…I know a lot of people who go to this school…and they hate _me_…so…I dressed up so they would treat me normally," Aoi replied, his eyes traveling across the floor. The blue orbs never met my gaze, but I didn't need to see the pain in his eyes. I could hear it in his baritone voice. I let my gaze drop as I continued to work on the zipper and wig. "I just wanted a chance…to be like a normal kid…"

I mentally sighed, understanding the feeling of wanting to be treated like a normal teen. No matter where I go, though, my name would precede me. Everyone knew to treat me with the utmost respect and to be very easy on me, in case word got back to my father about someone's harsh treatment of me. It made me very self-conscious everywhere I went. I pulled at the hair and smiled slightly when the last strand was released from the zipper's grasp. "Here's your pants and hair," I said softly, surprising both Aoi and myself when I didn't stutter at all. He raised an eyebrow as he took the pants from me and quickly slid them on, finally covering up the large bulge in the front of him. "…I'll help you with that wig." Aoi was obviously taken aback when he heard me volunteer to help him with this act.

"Y-you're not going to tell anyone?" he asked doubtfully as he brushed his fingers through a pigtail of his wig in order to straighten out the hair. I shook my head as I smiled at him. If he didn't want people to know who he truly was, then I would do all I could in order to help him. He was willing to swallow all his pride and hide everything about himself in order to keep people from prejudging him. I admired the amount of self-confidence and courage he had.

"…you're the first person who has been kind to me…" I said softy, smiling again when I heard my voice not even quiver in the slightest. I had never spoken to someone with so much…assuredness in my words and I liked this distinct change in myself. _Maybe Neji-nii-san will think better of me if I don't stutter around him anymore…_I thought to myself with a blush creeping onto my cheeks. Aoi, without warning, glomped me and held me for a moment. My blush turned to a deep crimson as I uncertainly returned the embrace.

"I could say the same about you, Hinata-chan…" he stated as his grip tightened around me just enough that I felt like he could have easily picked me up if he wanted to, but not enough to crush me. Though, from the muscle I felt underneath the thin pieces of material separating us, I guessed he could have done just that with ease as well. It was an odd combination, to feel such solid muscle around me, but such a soft chest against me. I wondered for a moment how much padding that bra must have had in it to make Aoi's "breasts" feel lifelike. I blushed at the realization I was wondering about his chest. "It took me weeks to find something that felt real…" I buried my head into Aoi's chest in embarrassment at his comment, which only made me realize I was sticking my face into the object of my discomfiture. I eeped into the softness and I could feel the rumbling of Aoi's chest as he chuckled deeply. The blonde let go of me and I shakily sat back down on the bench, my eyes fixed on his fake breasts. They looked so real. "Water balloons…" he stated proudly as he stuck a hand down the collar of his shirt and pulled out a pale orange ball of rubber that jiggled slightly as he tossed it over to me. I fumbled to catch it and was surprised to find the rubber was thicker than a normal water balloon. _No wonder Aoi-san isn't worried about it popping…_I thought to myself as I felt over the water balloon. It surprisingly did feel real, to some extent. I glanced up at him and giggled when I saw his bra was still in the shape of his breasts. There must have been a great deal of padding in that bra as well. "…I'm some sexy girl, ne, Hinata-chan!"

I chuckled at that statement, watching as Aoi posed with his hands on his hips and his chest puffed out. He _was_ very pretty, I had to admit, but I also wondered how much of that loveliness was makeup. "We better be getting to gym before Yuushi-sensei comes looking for us!" I stated, louder than I have ever spoken before in my life. Aoi smirked and stuck the wig on his head-backwards. I chuckled as I watched him flounder around, trying to pull the wig off. When he finally got the hair off his head, he turned it around, an embarrassed grin on his face. He put it on the right way and started pushing his actual hair up underneath the wig. With a sigh, I got up off the bench and pulled his hands down, finishing the job of tucking in his blonde spikes. After a few minutes of fussing and last minute changes, I took a step back and found myself staring at the very feminine looking blonde without a strand of hair out of place.

"Y'know, Hinata-chan…I'm glad I met you!" Aoi exclaimed as he quickly hugged me, then started towards the exit. He stopped when he felt me wrap my hands around his larger one and I found myself staring into a pair of concerned blue eyes. He raised an eyebrow, not even needing to ask the question that I knew was in his mind.

"…Aoi…_kun_…thank you for being a friend," I replied quietly, wrapping my arms around his thin waist. I held onto him for a moment, until I heard him chuckle, then felt a soft pressure against my head. I looked up and saw Aoi had placed his hand on my head and was rubbing my hair gently.

"Daijoubu, Hinata-chan…you're really the first friend I have…" he replied, a smile on his face, but I could see that his eyes weren't reflecting the same happiness. They revealed that he was speaking the truth-a truth that hurt him in many ways. Seeing that in his eyes, I tightened my grip around him and didn't let go until I felt sure that look had left his beautiful eyes.

"Alright, girls, stop the loving moment!" Aoi and I spun around and found ourselves facing Yuushi-sensei with a dodge ball in one hand and a whistle in the other. I blushed slightly as I looked down at the floor. Suddenly, my nervousness returned tenfold and I could hardly even move, let alone speak.

"Gomen, Sensei. I was just telling Hinata-chan about my kitty, Fluffers-san…who was ran over yesterday," Aoi lied, sniffling. I glanced over at him and could see that tears had already begun running down his cheeks, smearing mascara and eyeliner everywhere. _No wonder he would join the drama club…_I thought to myself with an inward smile. I knew he was lying, but I couldn't help but feel sorry for Fluffers-san as tears began to prick at my own eyes.

"Alright, alright…just hurry up," Yuushi-sensei stated before quickly leaving the room. I could see her eyes were misting up before she had turned to leave. I turned back to look at Aoi and found him snickering hysterically.

"I can't wait to start up that drama club," he commented, his smile reminding me of some American movie I had seen as a child. _What was that cat called?…oh, the Cheshire Cat_, I remembered as I returned the smile. He looked just like the Cheshire Cat in Alice In Wonderland.

/A/N: end of flashback…

"Oi, Hinata-chan…there's the bastard's car!" Naruto exclaimed, pointing at the convertible pulling up to the curb. I smiled at him and his childish antics. If it hadn't been for Naruto, I would have never gotten to show Neji my feelings. I would have never joined the drama club. I wouldn't be pregnant. I wouldn't have the rest of my life all but destroyed.

And, because of that Cheshire Cat, I have no regrets.

Authoress: now, _that_ is how you end a chapter!

Neji:..

Hinata:…I-I-I'm…pre-/Authoress covers her mouth/

Authoress: remember, Neji doesn't know…so, anyways…thank you all for reading this insanely long chapter and to **Heosic-chan**for her wonderful job at beta-ing it (You did a wonderful job!)! Until then, sayonara!


	9. Public Display Is Just Affection

Authoress: yosh! I'm back already with chapter nine of Hensou! So, for all my wonderful reviewers…arigatou…and I promise…something _will_ happen in this chapter…(well, pertaining to Sasuke and Naruto's relationship…) so…on to the story! And, of course, I'd like to thank my lovely beta readers for doing such a wonderful job /glomps Sentai-chan/ in only a few hours...they're so niiiiice!

Disclaimer: shhh, don't tell anyone that I don't own Naruto!

Chapter Nine

Naruto took a deep breath as he stretched his arms over his head, listening for the faint popping sounds his actions received. He smirked evilly as he bent backwards and the cracking noise returned, this time much louder and more frequent, as he doubled over backwards to touch the floor near his ankles.

"That's disgusting!" He could hear Haku's comment through the wall separating their apartments. The blonde chuckled, knowing that any bone cracking grossed Haku out terribly, as he started in on his knuckles. The older teen pounded on the wall before Naruto had even finished his first hand. In retaliation, the boy started twisting his neck. "Stop that!"

"Not until you admit it!"

"Never!" Sometimes his brother could be so stubborn.

"Admit it!"

"I won't, you pain in my ass!" Naruto laughed out loud at that. It wasn't often he could get Haku to curse at him, which meant he was really annoying his brother with his persistence. That only egged the blond on even more.

"Say it! You want me to move out of my apartment because you and Zabu-chan are getting into some new, kinky stuff!" Naruto finally brought up the subject they had been arguing over for the past day. Haku had 'suggested'-meaning he told Naruto outright-that the blonde had to move into one of the other apartments, which happened to be far enough away from his brother that he wouldn't hear Haku through the walls. Naruto had inwardly danced in joy at the chance to _not_ listen to his brother and his lover's wild sex games, but another part of him wanted to know _why_. Haku had been the one to insist they live next door to each other.

Something was up and Naruto wanted to know exactly what it was, so he was going to get the information out of his older sibling if it killed Haku-or made the teen finally enlighten him on the situation. "Naruto! I said you should move out so you could get a larger apartment, since your friend is moving in with you!"

"…I don't believe you…" Naruto sang back, smirking as he heard his brother sighing in exasperation on the other side of the thin walls. _Almost…_the blonde thought to himself slyly as he hummed softly to himself. "Tell me why!"

"…fine! Because Iruka and Kakashi needed the apartment! You happy now?" Naruto stared at the wall, where his brother's voice had come from, and curiously thought over that new piece of information. Kakashi and Iruka had a huge apartment on the ground floor-so they didn't actually _need _another room. Haku obviously knew what Naruto was thinking about from the deep breath he took-which Naruto could easily hear through the wall. "…they wanted to surprise you…but Tsunade's moving into the apartment complex…"

"…iie! SHIMATTA!" Naruto screamed, flying through his front door and into his brother's apartment in a record five seconds, giving his brother a look that demanded an explanation. If Tsunade was moving in, there would be serious hell to pay. Not that Naruto didn't adore his surrogate aunt/grandmother, but there was only so much of her that the boy could handle. The fact that he found out, through Hinata, that their new principal was a 'Tsunade' with long blonde hair and a massive chest-AKA Tsunade-baa-chan, in Naruto's mind-made things even worse for Naruto. All the woman had to do was put two and two together to figure out her favorite nephew and the blonde troublemaker in her school were one and the same. And Tsunade, even though she didn't look it, was very intuitive when it came to things people were trying their hardest to hide from her.

"What's wrong now?" Haku asked as he looked up from an opened book in his lap. He was sitting in an overstuffed chair resting against the wall between their rooms, with his reading glasses on and all. Here Naruto was, imagining his brother had to be doing _something-_and reading (especially when talking with the blonde) didn't constitute as 'something' in Naruto's mind.

"…school…she's our new principal…" Naruto whimpered, leaping across the room to land into the chair with his brother. Luckily, Haku knew him well and had fast reflexes, so the glasses and book were sitting on a nearby table long before Naruto landed in his lap, lower lip trembling as he wrapped his arms around his brother. "And she's going to find out I'm cross dressing…and she'll never let me live it down…"

"Her girlfriend's moving in too," Haku commented coolly as he started reaching for his book again. Naruto cursed when he heard that. He really didn't have anything against Shizune, except that the woman was a total bitch to him for so many stupid reasons. Her latest cause was that Naruto didn't show proper respect to Tsunade. That was seriously some bondage relationship there. The black-haired woman worshipped the ground her lover walked on and thought that everyone else should do the same.

Naruto knew he was less than respectful when it came to his elderly (even though she would kill him for even _thinking_ she was old) aunt, always calling her 'old hag' or something to that effect, but it was what she deserved after beating the crap out of him on every given occasion.

"Can my life get any worse?" Naruto wailed, sitting back so he could see the smile he knew was on his brother's pretty face. "And you laugh at me! You sadistic bastard! You helped me get into this, you have to help get me out…or somehow get Tsunade to ignore the fact I'm not here during the day…that there's a girl in my school who looks a hell of a lot like _me_…and that she and I have all the same friends…Shimatta…she's going to find out. Then Iruka and Kakashi, along with Jiraiya and Zabuza, will know…and I'll never be able to show my face again!"

"Oh, stop being a drama queen!" Haku sighed, patting the blonde's head. "Anyways, if Iruka and Kakashi didn't already notice the eerie similarities between _Naruto _and _Aoi_, they don't deserve to be called your fathers…and as for Jiraiya…well, he'd be better off not knowing…and Zabuza already knows…"

"WHAA!"

"I couldn't lie to him!" Haku tried to defend himself, but lost pitifully when he saw his brother's eyes begin watering. He knew what a good actor the blonde could be (and that Naruto could force himself to cry), but it didn't make it any easier to ignore the fact his baby brother was crying. "Daijoubu, Zabuza knew since the beginning and he hasn't treated you any differently! He actually admires you for going to such lengths for your dream!"

"…honto?" Naruto sniffled softly, giving his brother the puppy dog eyes that he had come to master years ago. It always helped that Haku was so emotional and could be easily swayed, but this just took the fun out of the fight. Haku returned the sniffle and glomped his brother from a sitting position.

"Yes, really! He won't ever admit it, but he does respects you for dealing with all _this_ so you can go to school and achieve your goals!" Since Haku never had the ability to lie, Naruto took the boy's comment at face value and hugged the older teen. The black-haired teen chuckled and tightened his embrace around his brother.

"So…Hinata and I will be moving in a few doors down from you and Zabuza…Tsunade and that witch will be moving into my apartment…and somehow, we're going to have to sneak Sasuke past her door…along with Hinata and, probably, Neji…that is, if I can get those two back together…"

"Sheesh, I get home schooled and miss all this high school drama!" Haku stated sarcastically, laughing when Naruto punched him gently in the chest. "Look, Naruto, you shouldn't meddle in other people's affairs. If your friend Hinata doesn't want to be with her boyfriend…cousin…whatever he is…anymore…then just let it be…"

"But they were meant for each other, I know it! It's like Iruka and Kakashi…you and Zabuza…Ero-sennin and porn! I have to do something about it or else I'll always regret it!" Haku gently smacked his brother at the comment on Jiraiya, his eyes gazing over to the book he had been reading earlier. The young man smirked when Naruto's gaze followed his and the boy squealed when he read the title. "No way! Icha Icha Island! The R-rated, public-display edition? Ero-sennin wouldn't even let me _flip through_ that book! It's not even sold in stores! How did you get it?"

"…Jiraiya owed me…for helping him get out of his latest writer's block…" Naruto gave his brother an incredulous glimpse, inwardly counting how many days it would take Haku to finish the book, then another day before he would let Naruto borrow it…but that meant that Naruto would have to blackmail him into letting his younger brother read it. The blonde watched his brother's face turn all shades of pink, which only got Naruto to wonder what exactly Haku had to do to get this ultra-rare book. "…don't give me that look…all I had to do was play around with Zabuza the other day in the club…and do a few things…Jiraiya happened to be close enough to hear a few things…and…it helped his writer's block.

"You're evil, you know that! What did Zabuza say?" Naruto stared at his brother in amazement. The brunette's lover wasn't exactly known for public displays of affection and, besides Naruto, Iruka, and Kakashi, very few people even knew that Haku and Zabuza were a couple-let alone a 'loud' couple. Before moving here, the neighbors had called the police most nights, telling them that their entire family was 'disturbing the peace' with all their loud parties. It went on for months and the calls to the police didn't stop until after Kakashi-somehow keeping a straight face through the whole ordeal-went over to the neighbors' houses to explain that it wasn't a party, but his best friend and the man's lover making all the noise. After that day, all their neighbors couldn't even look at Zabuza without blushing furiously. A few even went far enough to invest in ear plugs.

"He…didn't know…but I'm sure he won't mind…" Haku smiled in such a way, Naruto wondered what Jiraiya could have put into the book to give his already perverted brother even more ideas. The blond was _very_ glad that he was moving away from the noisy couple. Tsunade and Shizune could sleep through anything, so it was a very good arrangement.

"You're such a perv…"

With that statement, Naruto quickly left his brother's apartment as he went over his future plans for his new home. For the first time in his life, something had gone right. When he first moved to Konoha, Naruto was sure he would be hated by everyone – just like in every other town and city he had ever lived in. Now, not even a year later, he found himself surrounded by friends who were just as close to him as his own mismatched family. Yes, for the first time in a long time, Naruto was happy about his life.

--

Authoress: …gomen…I know this chapter was short…but I just had to put up a new chapter of Hensou…I've been neglecting this story for so long…I'm sooooo sorry/smiles/ I've been pretty busy with my other Naruto fics (I've even gone so far as to have just added a new story…)…/bows/ I just want to thank everyone for actually waiting for this long overdue chapter and I hope you enjoy future updates (but, I will warn you now…things are going to get hairy in the coming months for our Konoha teens)…so, until then…ja ne…and please review! It really does help inspire an author to write more when they see those lovely numbers shoot upwards…/sighs/ it's a beautiful thing…

Sentai: Wow, I'm impressed. There's rarely any spelling mistakes. xP You're getting better.

Authoress:...ahh, it's so nice to have beta readers.../squeals/ they're so good to me...


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